Truth or Dare (REVISED)
by Annibelle White
Summary: I did it. Again. And I'm sorry. But I know a lot of people liked this story the most, though I never understood why. I wrote myself into a corner. It got out of hand and I began to hate it. So, let's do this again. "Elphaba and Fiyero's feelings for each other come to light thanks to a game of truth or dare. Can Elphaba continue to deny it?" Fiyeraba. Always, for me, Fiyeraba.
1. Chapter 1: A Dare

CHAPTER ONE: A DARE

When Nessa had finally had enough of badgering Elphaba about her religion (more precisely, her lack of religion), she announced to the table that she was, "ever so slightly tired," and requested that Nanny return to the dorms with her. Elphaba could feel the relief flood the table as they left. Between Nessa's religious rants and Nanny's watchful eye, they could sometimes ruin the lively mood of the rest of the group. "Thank Oz for that."

"You're telling me," Crope held up his glass for a toast. "If I have to hear one more thinly veiled comment about how homosexuality is a sin," he glanced playfully at Tibbett beside him, "I might just have to show her how that works."

"Please don't!" Avaric blanched. "The two of you naked…" He shuddered.

"But really," Glinda interjected, "it's nice to be able to get away from the two of them for a bit. Nanny can be funny, but the point of having a chaperone is so that you can ditch them every once in a while!"

Elphaba raised her eyebrows at her roommate. Glinda wasn't one to admit to enjoying something like breaking the rules. She usually just went along with things silently and only protested when things got out of hand. Elphaba eyed the wine glass in front of her roommate. Most of the time, much like Elphaba, Glinda didn't partake in the drinking. It was usually only Avaric, Tibbett, Pfannee and Shen-Shen; but tonight Glinda had changed her mind. She decided it'd be best to keep an eye on her roommate that night to make sure no one took advantage of the girl.

"Why don't the boys have chaperones?" The usually quiet Fiyero piped in.

"Because society is sexist," Elphaba replied. "They think women can't fend for themselves and," she added sarcastically, "on a college campus, who knows what trouble us weak, frail women could get ourselves into!"

"You're an exception that rule, aren't you, Elphaba? Your skin gives off poison when triggered. That's why no one likes you." Avaric laughed.

No one else laughed with him. At this point, the rest of the group had pretty much learned to let him say his piece and get it out. Except for Fiyero, who said, "That wasn't very nice, Avaric."

"Oh, thank you, observant one," Elphaba snapped. What had she just said? She didn't need anyone else defending her.

The boy looked hurt. "I just meant that he shouldn't say things like that. It's rude and it's hurtful."

"And what do you care if he hurts me?" Elphaba challenged.

"I just meant… I mean…" Fiyero's face was flushed. "What if he goes after one of us next? How long do we put up with it?"

"Always in it for your own good. Human nature." Elphaba shrugged.

The boy looked confused and went back to drinking his water.

"Let's order another bottle of wine and head over to Suicide Canal."

"Why don't we just stay here?" Glinda demanded. "It's getting colder at night now."

"Because I want to play truth or dare. And we can't play that here."

"Why can't we?" Elphaba asked hesitantly. "What kind of sick version of that game do you play, Avaric?"

"I promise it won't be too bad," he snarled. "You juveniles are too cowardly for that."

"Then what are the rules? You need to set limits, Avaric. No one really trusts you not to do something awful, otherwise." Boq added.

"No one may dare a player to touch another player below the waist. Anything else is allowed. No backing out. That's just cheap."

Elphaba thought this might be amusing, at least to watch. She doubted anyone was going to dare her to do anything scandalous, anyway. It wasn't as though she was Glinda, whom every boy wanted to kiss. Which reminded her, she'd better keep an eye on that. No one was going to be taking advantage of her roommate if she could help it. But it wasn't as though the rules included anything too awful. She supposed Glinda had probably done most of the things the rules included before, anyway. She decided she might as well go along.

Glinda bounced excitedly. "Oooh, I love asking people personal questions."

"That's an understatement," Elphaba muttered.

"Then let's go already," Avaric said impatiently. He got up and purchased a bottle of wine from the bartender and headed out, the rest of them following him eagerly.

The canal was lit only by the moon as they arrived. Glinda began to remove her jacket, placing it on the ground so as not to get her dress dirty.

"Wait. Everyone sit boy-girl-boy-girl!"

There was a groan from Crope and Tibbett, but no one else complained. Elphaba found herself beside Fiyero and Boq. Better than sitting beside Avaric.

"I shall go first," Avaric decided. "Let's start off easy. I dare you to take no more than three steps out of the circle and drop your trousers for five full seconds."

Elphaba thanked Oz it was dark. "You call that starting off easy?"

Boq did as he was told, turning away from them as he took three large steps (well, as large as his little Munchkin legs could take) and dropped his trousers. Avaric chuckled (again, no one else did) and counted to five. The minute the word was off his tongue, Boq pulled his trousers back up quickly and sat back down.

"Seriously, Avaric, no one wanted to see Boq's ass. And that includes Crope and Tibbett."

"Oh, curse you, Elphie!" Boq snapped. "Is it my turn now?"

"Yes," Avaric sneered.

"Elphie!" Boq pointed at her, resentment glowing in his eyes. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare." Elphaba believed words had just as much impact as actions, if not more. She'd rather do some silly stunt than say something she might regret.

"I dare you to kiss…" Boq's eyes fell on Fiyero, "Fiyero! With tongue! That's allowed, right?"

"I never said it wasn't." Avaric was grinning devilishly, and it made her uneasy.

She sighed. They thought she was such a prude. It wasn't necessarily that. She simply thought love and sex were not in the cards for her. "Only if Fiyero is okay with it." Elphaba replied. She wasn't going to make the poor boy do anything he didn't want to.

"It's fine." Fiyero said. She supposed he'd only said it because he was the newest member of their little clique and didn't want to refuse anything if it might get him scorned. But she couldn't call him out on that.

She swallowed and turned to him, meeting his eyes for a just a moment before their lips met. Her eyes closed and she felt his tongue tease gently at her lips. She opened her mouth to him and felt his tongue circle the inside of her lips gently before meeting hers. Completely forgetting her surroundings, she wrapped her arms around his neck. His arms found her waist and he pulled her closer, one hand moving up to cup her breast. She moaned softly into his mouth.

Someone gasped then and Elphaba snapped out of whatever sort of trance she'd been in, tearing away from him quickly. Her face burned with heat and she resisted the urge to cry out of embarrassment. Instead, she composed herself, straightened her dress and met Boq's eyes without flinching. "There. Are you happy?"

Everyone simply stared. Glinda's mouth hung open.

Elphaba lowered her eyes. "What? I did what you told me to. I suppose it's my turn now." For one moment, a traitorous thought crossed her mind of daring Fiyero to kiss her again, but she shook her head quickly. "Glinda," she found her ground in her roommate. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth," the blonde said, still looking somewhat confused.

"If you had to date any of the boys here, who would it be?" Elphaba found herself hoping the answer would not be Fiyero, and she didn't understand where the thought had even come from.

"Ew!" Glinda seemed to forget what she'd be so concerned over (although Elphaba was certain she'd hear about it later). "I don't like any of them. But Boq, I think."

Boq's eyes brightened and everyone laughed.

Elphaba felt eyes on her and turned to see Fiyero was staring at her. She quickly turned away, but she swore she could feel his stare for the rest of the evening. The tension only began to fade as the boys and girls separated to walk back to their respective dorms.

Glinda didn't harass Elphaba right away, which surprised her. She waited until they reached their room. "What in Oz was _that_, Elphie?"

"What was what?" Elphaba knew exactly what she was talking about, but she didn't want to talk about it.

"That kiss! With Fiyero!"

"A dare," she replied shortly.

"You made more than good on that! That was one _long_ kiss."

"If we'd kissed any less someone would have insisted it was too short and made us do it again."

"I'm relatively sure him feeling you up was _not_ part of the plan. And Elphie… when he touched you… you made a _noise_."

"I… I forgot myself for a moment."

"You sure did! You liked it when he kissed you, didn't you?"

She shrugged. "I have nothing to compare it to. It was a different feeling, that is all."

"You are blushing."

"Of course I am, Glinda! That is not something I do every day."

"I didn't think it was something you did at all, Elphie."

"It isn't."

"You've never been kissed before, have you, Elphie?"

"No I haven't. Thanks to Boq, my first kiss was only a dare."

"I'm sorry, Elphie."

"I don't much care. I've never much intended to kiss anyone."

"And after this kiss? It certainly seems like you wanted him to kiss you. And more."

"I already told you. I forgot myself. It was just an intense moment. It doesn't matter, does it? He doesn't like me. And _I don't like him_." But the words felt wrong coming out of her mouth.


	2. Chapter 2: Go Together

**CHAPTER TWO: Go Together**

Elphaba had managed to evade Glinda's prodding for the rest of the weekend. She sat Monday morning looking over her sciences notes in case there was a pop quiz as her roommate primped herself at her vanity. Looking up, she rolled her eyes as the blonde made pouty faces in the mirror. "We'd better head to class soon."

"You know you don't have to wait for me, Elphie." Glinda twirled a curl around her finger.

"If I don't make sure you get to class, you'll stand in front of that stupid mirror forever."

There was a knock on the door and Glinda jumped. "Just a moment!" She put one last puff of face powder on. "I'll get it, Elphie."

"It's for you, anyway." No one but her sister and Nanny ever came to find her. And they usually barged right in since Nanny had a key. She didn't even looked up as Glinda opened the door.

"Boq, Fiyero… what are you doing here?"

Fiyero? Boq had come by plenty, always hoping to woo Glinda, but Fiyero had never once stopped by. She looked over at the door, then. "That was tactful."

"I'm sorry. I was just surprised. But what are the two of you doing here?"

"We were passing by on our way to class and thought we'd stop by. We are all going the same place."

"Could you think of a better lie, Boq? Three Queens is the opposite direction from the lecture hall. If you're going to ask to walk Glinda to class, why don't you just come out with it?" Elphaba gathered her things and brushed past the two of them, deciding to head to class on her own. Boq could make sure Glinda made it to class on time.

Fiyero strode after her. "Um, Miss Elphaba, if you have too many books, I wouldn't mind carrying one for you."

Elphaba froze in the doorway of the building. What was going on here? It didn't take her long to figure that out, though. "Don't try it. That prank has been pulled before. Long before I even got to Shiz."

"What are you talking about?"

"Pretending to be nice to me only to 'accidentally' drop all my books in the mud? I'm not falling for it. I'm not twelve years old. And neither are you." She started walking again.

He matched her pace. "I wasn't going to do that."

"Then what? What is going on in that head of yours?"

"I just thought that maybe…"

"Maybe what?" Her mind whirled. "Just because we kissed during a stupid game of truth or dare doesn't mean I want anything to do with you. Or that you should want anything more to do with me."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it, Fiyero?"

"Well, it sort of is. I just… Elphaba," he gasped, "slow down!"

She stopped. "Say your piece."

"When I kissed you the other night, I realized how much I'd wanted to do that. I realized how much I wanted to touch you."

"That you did."

"And you let me! I heard that noise you made, Elphaba. You liked it just as much as I did."

"Shh!" She looked around them. His voice had gained a few decibels and she did _not_ want the rest of campus knowing what had happened. "I didn't mean it." Elphaba said softly. "I was just going along with it so as not to embarrass you."

"You practically threw yourself at me." He raised his eyebrows at her.

She'd never heard him stand up for himself. Usually he was so softspoken and silent unless he had a question. This side of him surprised her, intrigued her. Elphaba couldn't help but admit she liked him a little better this way. "I got caught up in the moment."

"So you felt it, too."

"Felt what?"

"Whatever this is between us. I'm not saying we're meant to be, but there is definitely something here. Why don't we just see where it takes us?"

Another thought came to her mind. She knew there was no way his intentions were genuine. "Where it takes us? Like your bed? Is that it? You think that since I was so easily swayed into letting you touch me like that…"

"No! Of course not! That was just a dare. I get it."

She saw Glinda and Boq start walking towards them from Crage. This was not a conversation she wanted either one of them involved in. "Look, I don't know exactly what it is that you want, but whatever it is, you aren't getting it." And she took off again.

"Elphaba, stop."

She refused, though he kept her quick pace with her. Neither of them spoke until they got to the Sciences building. "Leave me alone."

"Not until I'm done." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into an empty classroom.

She gulped, realizing they were now completely alone. But she wasn't afraid of him, so why was she so uneasy? "You are done. The only reason I reacted like I did is that I'd never kissed anyone. I had no idea how to react."

"I'd never kissed anyone either," he admitted softly.

"See? So we're just confused. There's nothing there. We don't know what if feels like if there _is_ something there. We don't have the experience to know."

"I don't think so. It wouldn't have felt like that if there wasn't something there. My parents were arranged to be married. I've seen their kisses in public. They aren't like that. Because there _isn't_ anything there. That kiss we shared was different."

She remembered the affection between her parents, the way it felt strained and uncomfortable. And then she remembered the secret kisses she'd seen her mother share with Turtle Heart. The passion, the way both her mother and Turtle Heart had reacted. She knew which one of those her kiss with Fiyero was comparable to. Elphaba lowered her eyes. "What are you asking me, Fiyero?"

"I thought maybe we could… go together."

"Go together?" She repeated, cocking her head at him.

"Yes."

"You mean go out, right?"

"I like the phrase 'go together,'" he shrugged.

So did she. It implied more, that two people physically and emotionally fit together. "Is that how it's said in the Vinkus?"

"On the few occasions that it happens, yes."

"Wait, you're engaged to be married, aren't you?"

"I've done my research. Custom doesn't dictate that I have to marry the bride my parents chose. Other princes have refused. Most haven't simply because they never found anyone else."

She bit her lip. "Are you sure you want to do this? It was just a kiss."

"It was more than that and you know it. And I'd wanted to do that for a long time."

"I'm not sleeping with you just because you want to date me," she cautioned.

"I don't expect you to. Will you? Go with me? Look, I'd bring you flowers and chocolates if I thought that would work, but you don't seem like that type of girl."

"I actually like chocolates," she eyed his ochre skin. "I mean…"

"I'll remember that. But, Elphaba, please, answer me. Will you?"

Stolen glances across the table. The moment he'd walked into class and been assaulted by those antlers. The diamonds that traced down his neck and, she could only assume, to his chest. Short, awkward conversations. Averting his gaze whenever she found him looking at her. The way she'd felt the first time he'd said her name. Could she really deny that there might be some part of her that was the slightest bit interested, maybe even wanted him? "I will," the words were barely a whisper coming out of her mouth.

He smiled then and grabbed her waist, pulling her towards him. "I promise you that you won't regret it." Fiyero kissed her.

This time, there was no one watching. She felt him press her into the wall and her hands grabbed at his shoulders. When he deepened the kiss, she slid one hand down his chest. His hands stayed at her waist and she was glad. She would've stopped them if they had tried to move elsewhere. Elphaba needed to be conscious of herself. Despite what had happened the other night, she didn't intend to let it get out of hand again.

When he stepped back, he was grinning. "We should get to class."

"Um, I suppose so." She tried not to look like the kiss had knocked her off her feet for a moment, but she was having trouble regaining her footing.

They stepped out of the classroom and Elphaba was glad there was no one there to see them do so. The rumors that could fly!

"Elphie! Where did you go?" Glinda grabbed her when she walked into the lecture hall. "Come sit by me."

She let herself be dragged over to where her friend had placed her things. Fiyero followed quickly and sat on her other side. "What is wrong, Glinda?"

"I want to talk to you. In private," she she cast a glimpse at Fiyero.

"I have the sudden urge to run to the restroom." Fiyero got up.

Elphaba glanced at the clock, checking to see if he had enough time before class. There was more than enough time, and it wasn't as if their professor was the most punctual. She watched him leave the room. "Yes." She said to Glinda.

"What do you mean, 'yes'? I haven't even asked you a question."

"I know what you're going to ask. Yes, he did. And yes, I did. That's all." Elphaba opened her book.

"He did what? Ask you out?" Glinda's voice got higher.

"Can you be quiet? The whole class doesn't need to hear this!"

"He did, didn't he? And you said 'yes'? Oh sweet Oz!" Glinda was so excited she practically flew out of her chair.

Elphaba simply nodded carefully. "Yes. That's what I said."

"You said you didn't like him."

"I did say that." Elphaba brushed her off.

"So you were lying? What happened? And where were you?" Glinda demanded.

"I don't know how I feel about him, okay? So stop prodding. And we were down the hall talking. That's all."

"Alone?"

"Yes, alone. What's so scandalous about that?"

"I've seen what happens when the two of you _aren't_ alone. What could happen when you are?" Glinda gave her roommate a knowing look.

"Stop that! Nothing happened."

Fiyero returned to his seat then, and Elphaba had never been more grateful to see him. At least until he opened his mouth. "Can I take you out Friday night, then?"

Elphaba glared at her roommate, who had squealed a pitch so high that all dogs within a three-mile radius were probably running towards them at that moment. Then she replied, "That would be acceptable."

"And I'm going to get her all dressed up!"

Elphaba buried her face in her arms. It had been five minutes and already this whole thing was too much.


	3. Chapter 3: A Uncomfortable Prediction

**CHAPTER THREE: An Uncomfortable Prediction**

Fiyero decided to take Elphaba to a magic show. Boq had dragged him to one once and he'd found it intriguing. He was wondering how she, with her sorcery classes, would interpret such a show. Not wanting to appear too eager and scare her off, he arrived at her dorm a minute later then he said he would. He could hear Elphaba and Glinda arguing behind the door. Their voices hushed when he knocked.

Glinda opened the door. "Come in."

He stepped into the room.

"Sit down."

He sat down at Glinda's desk and looked over at Elphaba, who sat in front of the only mirror in the room, her hair curled and rouge on her cheeks. "Good evening."

"Good evening."

"I have some questions for you before I let you go with her."

"Glinda!" Elphaba jumped out of her seat. "What is wrong with you? Leave the poor boy alone."

"No! I'm not letting you go out with just anyone. You are my best friend. I need to know that he'll be good to you."

"You know him already, Glinda. Just let it go."

"He barely talks to me!" Glinda crossed her arms across her chest. "What are your intentions with my roommate?"

"I want to take her out, maybe kiss her. I want to treat her nicely. And we'll see what happens from there." Fiyero shrugged.

"Stop interrogating him, Glinda!"

"It's fine. She's worried about you. That's sweet of her."

"And you will not touch her in any way she does not want?"

"Of course not!"

"Where are you taking her?"

"It was going to be a surprise."

"How romantic! All right, you can go."

"You look lovely," Fiyero told Elphaba.

Elphaba's face fell and she took a step away from him. "You shouldn't have said that, Fiyero."

"What did I do?"

Glinda intervened. "She doesn't take compliments well, Fiyero. She doesn't like them."

"But she does like chocolates..." Fiyero thrust the box he'd been holding into Elphaba's hands as she rose.

Elphaba looked at him, and he could tell she was trying not to smile. "You did say that you'd remember." Elphaba put the box on her desk. "I'll save these for later."

Glinda gave him a "thumbs up" signal from behind her roommate. "Well, you two have fun now! Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

As they entered the brisk night air, Fiyero reached for Elphaba's hand. She pulled back. "Is something wrong?"

"Not in public," Elphaba looked nervously at the few people still wandering the campus. "Not yet."

"That's fine." He didn't understand her reasoning, but he let it go as he led them towards the theater.

"So you really aren't going to tell me where we're headed?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"Not even a hint?"

"Well, it might seem kind of childish, but it's always been fascinating to me. We're about there, actually."

Elphaba looked around. "A magic show?"

"It's not just a magic show. They also have a psychic and a few other things. I've only been once, but it was quite interesting."

"I'll have to trust your judgement."

"Now come on. The show starts soon. Glinda delayed us a little."

"What about tickets?"

"I already have them." He produced two tickets from his pocket.

Elphaba sighed. "How much did they cost?"

"I won't have you do this. At least let me treat you this once. It's our first date, Elphaba. Let me take care of it." He insisted.

"Fine."

He took her hand and this time she didn't withdraw. They walked inside and took their seats, whispering about classes until the show began. A magician appeared, did some standard tricks and continued to advance to more advanced magic. However, anyone who thought too much about it knew it was fake. A person who could truly do such advanced sorcery wouldn't be working as a simple show magician. After about half an hour of this, the announcer returned to the stage.

"Madame Yackle will now take the stage and tell fortunes."

He saw Elphaba lean forward, obviously intrigued.

The audience could barely see the face of the woman who took the stage. The only way they knew she was a woman at all was from what the announcer had said. "Whose fortune shall I seek tonight?" Her voice was a cackle.

Several audience members raised their hands eagerly.

The woman shook her head as she looked out at them. "No. I shall choose my own… victim, so to speak." An old, wrinkled finger beckoned to the audience. "You, girl, come up on the stage. Let me look at your hands." She was pointing at Elphaba.

He looked at her. She was frozen in her seat. "It's just a show, Elphaba. Go up there. I'm sure she means no harm."

Elphaba bit her lip. "I don't like this."

"What are you afraid of, girl?" The old woman called.

Elphaba stood up, then, clearly not one to turn down a challenge. She stepped on the stage and the audience murmured once the light shone on her green skin. "Is this what you wanted?" She gestured to herself.

"I did not mean to draw attention to your skin. I feel an energy coming from you. Not just you. That boy beside you, too. Now, sit across from me."

Elphaba sat stiffly across from the woman and placed her hands on the table.

The old woman took her hands, tracing her fingers along them slowly. "Very interesting. That boy. You're here with him, are you not?"

"People don't usually go to shows by themselves."

"You've got an attitude, don't you?"

"What's it to you?" She demanded.

"Nothing. It's just that your lifeline, it is very strange. It goes off in two different paths."

Elphaba looked at the woman uncomfortably. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"That boy you're here with, he has a place in both of them."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure."

"Soon you will be faced with a choice. You will either abandon that boy or you will stay, but have to change your ideals to be less drastic."

Elphaba pulled her hand back. "And I'm sure you're going to tell me which one is the right choice."

"I can't tell you that. But I can tell you that you live longer if you stay."

"That's enough of this. My fate has nothing to do with some date I'm going on because of a stupid game of truth or dare. This is ridiculous." Elphaba stood and began to leave the stage.

"That's what you think, young one, that is what you think. I would like another, more willing energy to approach the stage. Young man?" As Elphaba sat down, the old woman eyed Fiyero.

"You might as well. It's just a show, right? That's what you told me." Elphaba nudged him out of his seat.

He supposed she was just happy to get the focus off of her. Fiyero approached the stage and lazily held his hand out to the woman.

The woman gasped. Fiyero couldn't tell if it was for show or genuine. "Your lifeline does the same. Except one of them is _much_ shorter, young prince."

Fiyero blinked. How in Oz did this woman know he was a prince? He heard Elphaba cough from the audience.

"And again, this young woman has a place in both of them."

He leaned in, not knowing why.

"You will spend nights together, either legitimately or not."

Fiyero sat there, strangely enthralled.

"If she chooses to leave you, you will meet her again. But your nights will not last a year, and you will be dead come the end."

Fiyero bowed his head.

"Can you choose another couple to pick on?" Elphaba stood up in the audience.

The old woman turned towards her sharply. "If you so desire. I'm afraid that no one else in the audience has a future so interesting as yours." She dropped Fiyero's hand. "My time on this stage is up. If you two ever do wish to know more, you know where you can find me."

Fiyero stumbled back into the audience and reached Elphaba, who was grabbing her bag. "I'm sorry. That got out of hand."

"Sorry for what? That woman was putting on a show and she dragged you into it. It's her fault."

"The last time I was here, all she did was look at a crystal ball and make general predictions. That did _not_ happen. That was extremely weird."

"It certainly was." Elphaba was walking ahead of him, headed back towards the dorm.

"Elphaba, please, slow down." He grabbed her hand and drew her towards him. "I did not mean for tonight to make you so uneasy. I wanted us to have a good time. It appears it didn't turn out that way. Let me make it up to you."

"No more magic shows?"

"No more magic shows," he agreed. "Let's get some ice cream."

"I never want to do that again, Fiyero."

"I can't blame you. I really meant for this whole thing to be a lot different. Next time it will be. I promise."

She turned to him and he saw a vulnerability in her eyes, fear. Had what the woman said gotten to Elphaba? "Like I said, it's not your fault it got crazy."

The rest of the night went much more smoothly. As they reached her room, he leaned in the doorway. "I enjoyed spending time with you."

She looked at her feet. "I did, too. At least after the whole stupid magic show thing."

He brushed a wisp of hair from her face and kissed her softly. He felt her body press against his willingly. Fiyero clutched her waist, trying hard to keep his hands from going anywhere else. He broke the kiss sooner than he would've liked, but they were in public. "I'll see you in class and we'll talk about what we want to do next time, alright?"

She nodded and began turning her key in the door. "As long as it's nothing like this time, I think we'll be fine."


	4. Chapter 4: Tradition

**AN: I meant to do this earlier this week but it has been a bit crazy. I apologize. Anyway, in defense of what I did here (which is a bit different) with their physical relationship: I have always seen Elphaba as being a sexual person. Once she REALIZES she likes something, she sees no shame in something that most of society considers to be as taboo as sex. So her wanting to? That doesn't surprise me. Anyway, that's not the only change I've been making, but you shouldn't notice anything else too crazy. I did change how I did their wedding night, but that's not for quite some time so why don't we wait until we get to that?**

**CHAPTER FOUR: Tradition  
**

They sat in his room, the windows open. The fresh spring breeze wafted through the curtains. "Are you going home for the spring holidays?" Fiyero asked her.

She grunted. Elphaba wasn't looking forward to it. Nessa and Nanny had found out about her relationship with Fiyero and had written home to her father. Apparently he wished to talk to her about it when she returned. "Unfortunately. What about you?"

"I am. That's too bad. I liked the winter holidays."

They had both stayed on campus then, and had spent most of their time in her room, kissing on her bed. Her face flushed just thinking about that. With Fiyero, her body did traitorous things, wanted things she had sworn she had no interest in. Those feelings didn't bother her, but they did surprise her. "Maybe a break from each other will be good."

"I'm not too excited to see my family, either," he added.

"Why not?" Elphaba was curious. He didn't talk about his family much.

"I haven't told my parents about you. It's not that I didn't want to. I just wanted to speak to them about it in person. I'm sure it will be fine, but they're so traditional. They won't be pleased that I'm not marrying the girl they chose."

"They won't force you to, though, will they?"

"Of course not."

But she could tell there was something he wasn't saying. "Then why does it bother you so much?"

"Life in the Vinkus, Elphaba, is a little different than it is here. They aren't nearly so progressive. My parents were horrified when they learned that women studied here, too."

Elphaba frowned. "I don't think they'll like me very much, then."

"I don't care. Who I go with is my decision, not theirs. They'll have to live with it."

"They can't veto it?"

"I marry who I want. I'm the prince."

On the word 'marry,' Elphaba turned away. That was too much to think about so quickly.

"Sorry. I didn't mean that we'd… I just…" Fiyero grabbed her hand.

"It's fine, Fiyero," she turned back to him. "It's just a little soon. It has only been six or seven months."

"Feels like longer," he observed, cupping her cheek.

Elphaba reached up and kissed him, tugging him back on the bed like she had done many times before. She felt his hands eagerly go to the buttons on her dress, and her body thrummed with delight as he removed the top half of it. She loved the way his hands felt on her body, like they were devouring every inch of her, sending electricity through her blood. This time, he pulled the dress all the way off and her breath caught in her throat as his lips began to travel her skin. He'd touched his lips to her torso before, but neither his hands nor his mouth had dared go below her waist. As his tongue traveled back up from her navel, she felt his hands slide between her legs, pressing them apart gently. He sucked at her neck and she moaned helplessly, grabbing for his shirt and tugging it over his head.

His fingers touched her, tenderly at first, then they pressed against her more roughly. Her hips pressed towards him as one finger slowly dipped into the wetness between her thighs. She cried out softly. Suddenly she wanted him. Before she could reach to undo his trousers, his mouth traveled downwards again and she had no desire to stop him. He pushed her thighs further apart and settled between them, his kisses burning her flesh, his finger still inside of her, thrusting quickly. He kissed the tender nub of flesh below her waist and pleasure flooded her body. When he replaced his finger with his tongue, she grasped the sheets in ecstasy, whimpering softly with each gentle movement. When his kisses finally made their way back up to her throat, she reached for his trousers, wanting more.

"We can't," he murmured, grabbing her hands.

"Why not?" She pleaded. Elphaba was not ashamed to want him. Perhaps her feelings scared her, but the physical aspect was different. She welcomed it.

"Because by Vinkun tradition, the girl I marry must be a virgin."

And who said they were going to be married? But that wasn't what she said to him. "How will they know if I'm not? I am, by the way."

"I know that, Elphaba. And they'll know by the sheets."

"They still do that? Display the sheets to the entire village? That's ancient." She pulled her dress back on.

"I told you, there's a lot of tradition in the Vinkus. Sex is part of it."

"Nothing awful, I hope."

"Not that I know of." He pulled his shirt back on and kissed her cheek. "Believe me, I want to, Elphaba. Don't ever think I don't."

"I could tell," she said softly. "And I'm sure you could tell I wanted to."

"I could practically taste it," he murmured in her ear.

"Please stop teasing me with something I can't have." She moaned, pressing her face into his chest. "It's not fair."

"You can have it. Just not now. And believe me, it's driving me crazy, too."

She was getting uncomfortable with all the implications he'd been making about marriage. Elphaba straightened herself out and sat up. "I should probably get going, on that note. We're leaving in a few hours."

Before she could reach the door, he wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her. "I'm going to miss you. A lot."

"It's just a fortnight, Fiyero." She didn't want to tell him that she'd miss him, too.

"It's going to be the longest fortnight of my life," he told her.

"And what are you going to do when summer break comes along, my sweet?" She laughed as she walked out the door. "I'll be back in the day before classes start, early in the morning. You are welcome to come find me then."

Glinda was packing what looked like a year's worth of clothes into a suitcase when she walked in. "Did you say goodbye to Fiyero?"

Elphaba nodded. "He's going home, too."

"The buttons on your dress are wrong," Glinda told her.

"Oh! I…" She looked down at herself. Her dress was fine. "Glinda!"

"You little minx! I knew it!" Glinda smiled knowingly at her.

"You don't know as much as you think you do. He's more respectful than that. Unbuttoning a button or two does not mean sex, Glinda. We have limits and he obeys them." She certainly didn't intend to tell her roommate she'd practically begged him to break those same limits less than an hour ago.

"But he has unbuttoned those buttons?" Glinda pressed.

"Just a few of them." Elphaba lied. "And that really isn't any of your business." She took a glance in the mirror. Elphaba didn't want one hair out of place when she met Nessa and Nanny later. If they thought she'd been doing anything unorthodox, she'd be in a lot of trouble.

Neither Nessa nor Nanny commented on anything, though, and they endured the two day train ride to Munchkinland in silence for the most part. It would be her father who did all the talking.

She had barely put her things down when her father called her into the living room. Her Nanny was there, but Nessa was not. Elphaba knew what this was about. "Is it that much of a problem that I'm dating, Father?" She sat as far away from both of them as possible.

"I have some questions, that is all." Her father said.

"Then ask them. I haven't done anything wrong and I have nothing to hide."

"If that's the case, Fabala, why did I have to hear it from your Nanny in a letter? Why did you not write and tell me? And why did you not tell your Nanny? She only found out by accident."

"One of your little friends said something at lunch one day."

"I know it was Tibbett, Nanny. And I would've told you. You just never asked."

"How was I supposed to know to ask you? Wait until I saw the two of you making out on a bench in the quad?"

"Nanny! You know I would never!" At least not on a bench in the middle of the quad...

"Elphaba, we would've liked a little bit more honesty from you. I don't think it's asking too much that you inform us that you're involved with someone." Frex gave her a stern look.

"Fine, fine. I'm dating Fiyero. You already knew that. I doubt it'll happen again, so why are you lecturing me?"

"Are you behaving like a lady?" Her father asked.

"Really, Father? You're going to lecture me about sex? Me? Do I even seem the least bit interested?"

"We didn't think you were interested in dating, either, and you proved us wrong." Nanny commented dryly.

"Why does it matter how I'm behaving? Were you planning on marrying me off to someone and are checking to make sure my dignity is intact?"

"I just think that the future Eminent Thropp needs to uphold a certain… image." Her father raised his eyebrows at her.

"I'm fine, Father. Just ask Nanny. She's never seen me do anything wrong. We only hold hands."

"At least so much as I've seen," Nanny said.

"What in Oz do you think I do with him? Tie him to a bed and have my way with him?" Elphaba demanded.

"Elphaba, your language!"

"It's better than the two of you talking around the question. Just go ahead and ask me."

"Have you slept with this boy?" Frex asked, exasperated.

"No! And I don't intend to! We both understand that such things are only to be done within the bonds of marriage." Well, maybe he understood that. And she was guessing he didn't _want_ to have to obey that. But that wasn't a point to bring up with her father.

"How long have you been seeing him?"

"About six months."

"Have you discussed marriage at all? Does he understand the demands of your position as future Eminent Thropp?"

"Nanny didn't tell you?" Elphaba was surprised. "He's a prince. From the Vinkus. I'm relatively sure that he has certain demands he has to adhere to, as well. And no, we haven't discussed marriage. Not directly."

"A prince?" Her father looked taken aback.

Elphaba didn't understand his surprise, at least not for a moment. And then it came to her: The idea that anyone wanted her was strange enough to him, but that it could be someone as important as a prince? Someone respectable? Her father had always assumed she'd be a spinster. Truth be told, so had she. But now not only was she in a relationship, she was involved with a _prince._ "I suppose that's shocking to you. That someone so estimable as a prince should have taken an interest in me."

"No, it's not that…" Frex was clearly at a loss for words.

"Then what is it?"

"It's… well, I'm just trying to figure out exactly what is going to happen should you and this prince marry. I don't suppose you can both be his princess and be Eminent Thropp." Her father recovered well.

Elphaba had thought about that, albeit briefly. "I don't suppose so. Perhaps Nessa will have to step in and take my place. But like I told you, I have not discussed marriage with him. As of right now, there are no plans for such a thing. Don't jump ahead of yourself."

"I wish to meet him." Frex said suddenly. "If he is available over the summer, why don't you invite him out here?"

She didn't understand why her father was so interested in meeting Fiyero. He'd never cared who she associated with before. And why was everyone else so insistent pressing the marriage issue? That was for the future, the _far_ future… right?


	5. Chapter 5: Nightmare

**CHAPTER FIVE: Nightmare  
**

Fiyero thought the whole three days of the ride to the Vinkus about how to speak with his parents about Elphaba. He knew they wouldn't be pleased with the situation. They'd be less pleased if they knew Elphaba. She was loud, defiant and passionate. That wasn't what was expected of a woman in the Vinkus. But he liked her, not the silent, obedient girls who giggled at his every word. But how was he to explain that to his parents? He didn't even know how he was going to bring it up.

In the end, he didn't have to. During dinner the first night he was there, his father said, "You are to marry Sarima over your winter holidays of this coming year."

Fiyero practically spit out his food and coughed. "I've been thinking about that a lot, Father. I don't think I want to marry Sarima."

"You're the prince. You have to marry," his mother said.

His father gave her a look. She'd spoken out of turn. He turned back to Fiyero. "Your mother is correct."

"But I don't have to marry Sarima." Fiyero swallowed hard. It was now or never.

"You don't. Is there another girl in the village you have your eye on?"

"She's not from the village… I met her at school."

A look passed between his parents, but his father only said, "You have to be married during the winter holidays. But it doesn't have to be to Sarima. So we'll need to know one way or the other by the end of the fall holidays."

Fiyero cringed. That soon? He would only have been seeing Elphaba a year by the fall holidays and he was going to have to propose? It was the only choice he had, and he genuinely hoped she understood that. She seemed to get uncomfortable whenever the word "marriage" came up, and he could only imagine that she wouldn't react well to this. He resolved not to tell her when he returned. When the year began again in the fall, he'd see how things were going. Then he'd make a decision.

That night, his father came to his room. This surprised Fiyero, because they rarely spoke alone. "What is it, Father?"

"There's really another girl?"

Fiyero nodded.

"Then you're going to need to understand something, Son. The rest of Oz is a little different than we are. Some people view our customs as barbaric. I'm sure you've noticed that things are different from being away at college, but still I must remind you of it. Some women are used to glamour and glitz and being pampered. Is your girlfriend Gillikinese?"

"No. She's from Munchkinland, Father. And she certainly isn't used to glamour or being pampered. I think she'd hate such a thing."

"Good."

"I care about her, Father."

"You have to think it over, Son. You need to think long and hard about marrying a girl who isn't one of us."

"Is it really that big of a deal, Father?"

"There are traditions here that some women might not understand. They're expected to act a certain way out here. Being married out here is different than what any woman who isn't from here might expect."

He'd known things were different, and it was more than just the fact that marriages were arranged in the Vinkus. At the age of fourteen, a servant girl had offered herself to him. He had refused, much to his parents' concern. He supposed they were at least relieved to know he was interested in someone now. "What exactly is it that is so different, Father?"

"To start with, our culture has different views on monogamy. That's for women, not men."

He had never paid attention to it before, but his father was often sneaking around the castle. His parents slept in separate rooms. Fiyero suddenly realized it was so his father could have whatever "company" he so desired. "I don't know that such a thing will be a problem for us. I intend to be faithful."

"That's idealistic, Son."

"I mean it, Father."

"There's more to it than that. Women are expected not to talk back and to obey their husbands."

"What if I don't intend to tell her what to do? What if I don't care if she talks back?" He liked it when she was fierce, when she got worked up in an argument.

"Since you're the prince, not much can be done. If she were to wed a man below our station and talk back to a man of our class, it wouldn't matter what her husband thought."

"Then it doesn't matter." Fiyero shrugged.

"How long have you known this girl, Fiyero?"

"Not long enough. But I'd rather not marry Sarima."

"I know that right now you think love is the most important thing in a marriage. But that isn't always the case. I think you'll find that life will be easier for you if you just marry Sarima."

"I will," Fiyero replied, watching his father's face flood with relief before adding, "if the girl I'm seeing doesn't agree to marry me."

His father sighed. "Your mother and I want nothing more than for you to be happy. But I beg you, Son, think about this carefully."

Fiyero simply nodded and his father left the room. He had no idea what he was going to do. This was too much, too soon. Even he could see that.

So he didn't bother to tell her when they both returned to campus. She wrapped him in a hug when she saw him. "How was your holiday?"

"It was fine," he said evasively.

"How did the talk with your parents go?" She looked anxious.

"As well as can be expected. They just want me to be happy." That much was true, anyway. "Nothing serious." Now that was a lie. He decided to change the subject slightly. "What about you? You said that Nanny told your father? How did that go?"

"Well," Elphaba twirled a lock of hair nervously, "What are you doing over the summer holidays?"

"Going home, presumably. Why?"

"My father wishes to meet you. I think it's because," her face flushed, "he doesn't believe that someone could actually be interested in me. Especially a prince."

Fiyero raised his eyebrows. "Your father couldn't think that. Does he not know you? You are the most interesting woman I've ever met."

"Does that mean you'll come? My family can be a bit crazy, but…"

"Of course I will." Her family, crazy? Wait until she met his! And spending the summer with her gave them more time together before he had to… "I can't wait."

And it felt like time went too fast. The next thing he knew, he was on a train with Nanny, Nessa and Elphaba on the way to Munchkinland. In the lower class, which is what they traveled, there were four to a small compartment that barely had any room for anything aside from the bunk beds against the opposite walls and a window, which Elphaba spent most of her time looking out of.

He sat on the bed beside her as she stared out the window. "Nanny and Nessa went for tea. Did you want to go?"

"I'm not much for tea. Besides, I spend more than enough time with Nessa and Nanny. And you'll have had enough of all of us when this summer ends."

"Maybe them. I can never get enough of you," he teased. "I still want more."

"So do I," she murmured, tracing the windowsill with her fingers.

"You know I'd be glad to give it to you if I could."

"Do you know how that sounded?" Elphaba laughed. "I thought about it. It's best we wait, anyway. My father got on me about it, too. Unionism scorns fornication. And he is a minister. Think of what people would say if his daughter were to cause such a scandal!"

He could hear the sarcasm dripping from her voice. "I don't think our parents should be the reason we do or don't. I think we should if we love each other. But in this case there are extenuating circumstances and it doesn't particularly matter how we feel, at least not now."

"And how do you feel?" Elphaba looked at him, finally turning away from the window.

"I love you," he told her. Fiyero knew he meant it. And while he hadn't meant to say it so soon, he figured it might be best. After all, she was going to get a much bigger shock come the fall.

Her eyes didn't meet his for a moment, and when they did, he could tell she was scared. But she kissed him instead. It was brief. "You're too good."

Fiyero laughed. "If you only knew the thoughts that ran through my head each time we kiss, I don't think you'd still believe that."

She grinned. "Oh?"

"I'm not telling you. It's hardly appropriate for me to tell you now, anyway. Nanny and Nessa could return at any moment."

"I expect you to tell me one day," she teased.

That night, Fiyero woke to quiet sobbing. He sat up and looked around. The source of the sound was Nessa, and Nanny sat with her, comforting her softly. Elphaba was awake, too. She was, as usual, looking out the window. Fiyero climbed down from his bed and sat beside her, saying nothing.

"Do you want to go take a walk in the corridor?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

He nodded and the two of them got up, nodding quickly at Nanny. As the door closed behind them, he said, "What's wrong with Nessa?"

"Nightmares. She got them a lot when we were children. Now she only gets them occasionally. Nessie won't tell me exactly what they're about, but sometimes as she's waking up she mutters something about shoes or a tornado. But they really upset her. Nanny knows how to handle it by now. She'll be fine."

He took her hand. "Did you ever have nightmares?"

"I barely even dream." Elphaba shrugged. "That's probably a good thing. What about you?"

"Nothing other than the usual nightmares that everyone has. Falling. Showing up for class naked. Things like that."

"I'm not even going to comment there," Elphaba said.

"Oh, I've had my fair share of dreams about you as of late, but I certainly wouldn't call those nightmares."

Another passenger walked by and Elphaba said quietly, "I'm going to start having to keep a list of the things I want you to tell me about, in detail."

"Should we return to the cabin? Do you think Nessa is feeling better? I'm a little tired, and I'd like to be on my game when I meet your father tomorrow."


	6. Chapter 6: The Question of Marriage

**AN: So I didn't realize how long this chapter was until I went to copy and paste it. I'm only posting one, then.**

**CHAPTER SIX: THE QUESTION OF MARRIAGE**

Elphaba wasn't sure how her father would act towards Fiyero. On the one hand, he was _her_ boyfriend, and he had never taken kindly to her or anyone around her. But on the other, he was a prince. And her father loved rubbing elbows with people of status.

Her father _bowed_ to Fiyero when he answered the door. She stared at him, jaw dropped in shock. Really? Elphaba rolled her eyes and said, "Father, this is Fiyero."

"_Prince_ Fiyero, correct?" He eyed Fiyero cautiously.

"I don't really like the title, sir, if you don't mind. I heard it too much growing up, and I don't like the way people treat me because of it." Fiyero shrugged.

Elphaba smiled thinly. She had tried to explain that to her Father over the spring holidays, that Fiyero's status was more of a burden to him than a blessing, but he hadn't believed it.

"Come, come, sit down." Frex ushered them inside and into their sparsely decorated living room. It was crowded with everyone and their luggage in there, but Frex didn't seem to mind. He turned to Fiyero as they all settled down. "Tell me about yourself."

Fiyero seemed to think for a moment. "Well, obviously, I'm from the Vinkus. My tribe is the Arjiki tribe. There are three tribes out there vying for control. Right now it's us. It has been us my whole life, but my father has always told me it could change at any time. I'm focusing on economics and political science in school. What else can I say?" He paused, then added. "Oh, and I love your daughter."

"Fiyero!" Elphaba wasn't sure what was more embarrassing, the game of truth or dare they'd played or this moment.

"I'm just being honest," he protested.

Frex ignored his daughter and continued to focus on Fiyero. "And do you intend to marry her?"

"Father!" At this point, she was certain that it was this moment that was the worse of the two. "I told you we hadn't discussed that!"

Fiyero looked as though he'd been going to say something. She hoped it was merely the same thing she'd said. He nodded at her. "She's right, Sir, we haven't."

"Why don't you let us all unpack? It's been a long year and I'm certain Nessa and Nanny are exhausted, too."

"The only extra bed is in your room, Elphaba. But…"

Elphaba did and did not want to sleep in a room alone with Fiyero, because she knew what she couldn't do and that was exactly what she would want to do. "But you don't trust me?" She didn't trust herself.

Frex looked back and forth between Fiyero and Elphaba. "I hear things, about what goes on at Shiz."

"Sir, I assure you that nothing inappropriate will happen. Nothing inappropriate has happened up until this point and I intend to keep it that way. I respect your daughter and I would never ask such a thing of her." Fiyero came off so stiff and polite, it almost surprised her. Not that he wasn't polite, but it was unlike him to be so formal.

"I suppose since it can't be helped." Frex acquiesced.

"Then it's settled." An entire summer sharing a bedroom with him. She wasn't sure if she found the concept enticing or unsettling. Elphaba grabbed her bag and headed to her bedroom.

Fiyero stood in the doorway for a moment when they entered the room. "So this is your childhood bedroom? Where you grew up? Elphaba, you have practically nothing in here. It almost looks like a guest room. Where are your things?"

"The bookshelf," Elphaba gestured to it. "The books. Those are my things. What else would I keep?" She had a small green bottle in the drawer of her nightstand. But that really was it. And she didn't mention the bottle. No one but her Nanny knew about that bottle.

He moved to close the door.

"Don't. They'll think…" She looked at him as her words trailed off and the door had shut. After a moment, she shrugged. "Who cares what they think?"

Fiyero kissed her briefly. "Perhaps we should keep the, um, affectionate activities to a minimum? Your father seems to like me and I wouldn't want to ruin that."

"I think he likes you more than he likes me. He practically begged you to marry me out there." Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"On that note, there's something we need to talk about." Fiyero sat down on one of the beds.

She sat beside him. "I don't like the sound of that."

"Well, you will like what I'm about to say even less." He put a hand over hers. "I have to be married by the winter holidays."

Elphaba blinked slowly, taking it in. "You _what_?"

"If I don't have your agreement to marry me by the end of the fall holidays, Elphaba, I have to marry Sarima instead. Either way, I'm to be married come the end of this year. My parents made that abundantly clear."

She got up and started to cross the room. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to say to that." Then she whirled on him. "Wait, are you asking me?"

"I'm telling you I'm going to have to. In the fall. You deserve to know it's coming. Elphaba, you know I wouldn't push it if I didn't have to." He sighed.

"I know," she said softly. "I'm not angry with you or anything." She took a deep breath. "Look, Fiyero, I care about you. But this is insane."

"I know. And I'm sorry. If you want to reject me now, you might as well. That way we can at least break this off early. I can go back to the Vinkus on the next train…"

She cut him off. "Give me time to think about this, my sweet. I appreciate that you told me now. Because I do need to spend some time thinking about everything. It's a bit much."

He nodded. "Thank you for not freaking out. I wouldn't have blamed you if you had."

"Oh, I'm freaking out in my head quite a bit right now." And she was. Marry him? So soon? This was too fast. Committing to him for the rest of her life? What about school? About her plans? But… what about him? "I have a lot of thinking to do."

"Take your time. Well, as much as you can, anyway."

She kissed him heavily and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, but pulled back quickly. "Not here."

"Not ever, if we don't get married come the winter…"

Fiyero cupped her cheek. "Don't think about it that way."

But she did. She could never kiss him again, never feel his body beside hers, never close her eyes as he held her again. That would be gone. Forever. Was she willing to give that up? Less than a year ago she thought she'd be a spinster, would never even kiss someone, and now she couldn't imagine living without ever feeling his arms around her again.

Elphaba tried her best to enjoy the summer, to not let the anxiety about what was to come destroy the time she had with him. They took walks and kissed in the shade down the road. They read together and they talked, though not about marriage.

Curiosity got the best of her one day late that summer, and she went to the bookstore while Fiyero spent time talking with her father. She found a book on old Vinkun traditions, wondering what a future with Fiyero meant for her. The book was at least several decades old. It described the patriarchy out there, the way men treated their wives. She hoped this book didn't apply to Fiyero's tribe in the current situation.

He came in as she was reading. "What is that?"

"Fiyero, if I did marry you, what exactly would be expected of me?" Elphaba put the book down then.

"What do you mean? You'd be a princess, and queen when I become king."

"I meant as your wife. As a woman."

His face fell and he picked up the book from her bedside table. "What does this say?"

"Some very disturbing things. Will I really get stoned to death if I don't obey your every whim? Because I am _not_ marrying into something like that."

Fiyero sat down beside her. "Not exactly. I understand that things were harsher many years ago."

"What do you mean by 'not exactly,' Fiyero?"

"It can be a little… different. But the way a man treats his wife is up to him. And you know I couldn't ever be cruel to you, or command you to do anything. But yes, that does happen. My mother is barely allowed to speak without being given permission from my father. Listen to me, Elphaba, _I wouldn't ever expect that from you_. Ever."

She bit her lip. "How can I live in a place where that happens? Even if it's not how you treat me, no one will respect me, simply because I am a woman."

"I will be king. And you could be my queen. Together, Elphaba, you could help me change that. You could show the women there what it's like to be strong, to have an opinion. And I could make laws and decrees to make sure women are allowed to speak their minds and be treated properly. Yes, it might take some time and adjusting to, but I would. But it would go over much better if my wife was someone like you, not a meek obedient little thing my parents chose for me." He grabbed her hand.

"You'd do all that? Just to be with me."

"No. I'd do all that because I think it's what is right."

Elphaba smiled, but it faded quickly when she thought back to the book. "There were some very odd, degrading sounding rituals…"

"Not going to happen," he told her. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

"I guess, then, I could live with it. Maybe. I still need time."

"We go back to school in a week. And the fall holidays are two months after that. You have some time. Think as much as you want. But please don't refuse just because of that. That won't matter. I won't let it."

And that time flew by. Before she knew it, they were back at school. Sweet Oz, she'd never have enough time to think about it if time kept moving so quickly!

Within the first few weeks, both she and Glinda were called to Morrible's office. Neither of them knew what it was about, and her roommate took her hand nervously as soon as the two of them sat down across from the woman. Usually, Elphaba would've torn her hand away, but she could feel her anxiety mounting as well, and so she let it go.

"Good afternoon, young ladies. How has the fall semester been going for you so far?"

_Too fast_. Elphaba thought to herself.

"Fine, Madame." Glinda replied obediently.

Elphaba simply nodded.

"Ladies, since you've been here, I have been watching your progress closely. And it was no accident that you ended up roommates."

The two girls exchanged looks. Neither one of them had been very pleased that day. It was true that it had worked out for the best, but the idea that it had been set up was still something they were uneasy about.

"Many years ago, the Wizard asked me to keep an eye out of young talent, particularly young talent that had an affinity for sorcery. It wasn't until both of your applications ended up on my desk that I felt like I had actually found that talent."

Glinda's face was bright red. "Thank you, Madame."

Again, Elphaba only nodded.

"You, Miss Glinda, had good marks in all your classes, but it was the recommendation letter from your teacher that caught my eye. And you, Miss Elphaba, from the moment you were born were talked about across the land. When I saw your extraordinary marks, I knew it must be true. You were a witch, too."

Elphaba didn't like the idea that her skin was what had gotten Madame Morrible's attention, but she knew now was not the time to argue. "I see."

"The Wizard wishes to meet you."

Elphaba blurted out, "Why?"

Morrible pursed her lips and cast a glare Elphaba's way. "He did not tell me. When the Wizard asks, I do what I'm told. We don't ask questions. _Anyway_, you two will be going over the fall holidays."

Fall holidays? It seemed she had two important life events at that time. One she was dreading, the other she still hadn't decided if she was excited about or not. Perhaps this trip would give her clarity.

When Fiyero came to see her that afternoon in her room, Glinda answered the door. "Guess what?"

He smiled politely at Glinda and stepped inside. "What?"

"Elphie and I get to meet the Wizard! Himself! Apparently Madame Morrible has been telling him about us! We're going over the fall holidays!"

He looked at Elphaba and they shared a moment. They both knew what that meant. She nodded back at him. Fiyero said, "That sounds exciting."

"I still haven't told Pfannee and Shen-Shen!" Glinda rushed out the door and down the hall.

Fiyero closed the door that Glinda had left open in her excitement. "So… the fall holidays?"

"I guess I'll let you know when I get back," she said softly.

"I never properly asked you," he said, pulling something out from his coat.

"Oh, don't do this now," she murmured.

"Then when, Elphaba?" He opened the small box. "Will you marry me?"

She looked in his eyes. "You know I'm not ready to answer that yet." Why had he done this? Elphaba looked at the ring in his hands, the shimmering light as it bounced off the diamond.

"I do. But I wanted to ask you the right way before you gave me an answer, no matter what that answer may be. And I'll have this with me. So when you know, I'll be ready." He closed the box and put it back in his pocket. "I, um, also asked your father over the summer for permission."

"You WHAT?"

"I thought it was only appropriate. I may not get the chance to ask again."

"It's not his decision. It's mine. And I'm not his property. He has no right to give his permission. That is mine and mine alone." Elphaba put her hands on her hips.

"I know that, Elphaba. But I don't want to burn any bridges. He said it was fine, by the way." Fiyero just shrugged.

"Of course he did." Elphaba sat down on her bed. "We'll talk about this when I get back. I promise. I will give you an answer."

"You will come back, won't you?"

"What in Oz are you talking about?"

"I just… I have this feeling. Maybe this is where your choice is, between me and your ideals. Like that woman said…"

"We agreed never to talk about that again!"

"Just appease me, here, Elphaba. I don't know why, but I can't help thinking…"

"That old woman was talking bullshit and you know it."

"I love you," he told her. That shut her up for a moment. "Now just promise me you will come back. Even if you decide not to marry me, promise me you will come back."

She looked in his eyes and she could tell he was actually concerned. Elphaba couldn't understand why, but she nodded. "I will. I promise."

Elphaba had thought there was nothing in existence that could get Glinda to stop talking, but the moment they stepped foot in the Wizard's chambers, Glinda's chattering stopped. She found herself doing most of the talking.

And she didn't like the responses she got to her questions. She asked about Dr. Dillamond, about the Animals. The Wizard not only didn't seem to care, it seemed he was well aware of the situation and was _pleased_ with it. Elphaba couldn't read people the way her roommate could, but she knew well enough.

The back and forth between the Wizard and her came to an end and a proposition was made, one Elphaba didn't like. He wanted them to work for him! Elphaba found herself raging as they exited the palace. The carriage arrived and suddenly Elphaba didn't want to leave.

"Elphie?" Glinda looked at her, speaking up for the first time since they'd entered the palace.

"Glinda, I don't…" She looked down the street at the City. Dr. Dillamond had once mentioned a rebel group that lurked within the depths of the City. Maybe they could change things, understand her.

"We have to go back now, Elphie." Her roommate put a hand on her arm. "Come back."

_Come back… "You will come back, won't you?" "I just have this feeling…"_ Glinda's words had brought Fiyero's worry back to Elphaba's mind. And suddenly she understood. If she left now, she would never seem him again. Or would she? That old woman had said… no! That was just a stunt. Wasn't it? She had said Fiyero's life would be drastically shortened if she ran. That couldn't be true, could it? And could she live with herself if it was?

Glinda pulled her into the carriage and she acquiesced without another thought. She sat in silence as the carriage began to move. But Glinda didn't like silence. "Is everything alright, Elphie?"

Elphaba found that she couldn't speak about what had happened at the palace, as though something was blocking her. A spell? Was that possible? The Wizard had made it so they could not discuss what had happened with anyone, even with each other.

"Elphie?"

She sighed. "I just have a lot to think about. And I don't mean that."

"What do you mean? Is it about Fiyero? He acted funny when we left…"

"Glinda," Elphaba said, "he asked me to marry him." She braced herself for the inevitable shriek of excitement that was coming.

"He what? Sweet Oz, Elphaba!"

"I don't want to marry him, not now."

"You said 'no'?"

"Not exactly. Glinda, if I don't marry him now, we can never be together. He has to be married over the winter holidays. To me or to that girl he was supposed to marry."

"What are you going to do?"

"I wish I knew, Glinda." She didn't know why she was telling her roommate all of this. "It's ridiculous. I don't want to get married at twenty. I don't even know if I want to get married at all."

"You do want to. Or you wouldn't be with Fiyero at all."

"Why does everyone think that dating someone means you want to marry them? Maybe I just want to spend time with him. Marriage is… different."

"Marry him, Elphaba." Glinda put a hand on hers.

"But Glinda…"

"Marry him. He loves you. I can see it. And you love him."

"I don't…" Elphaba still didn't know if she did.

"You do. And if this is the only way you can be together, Elphaba, you have to. Are you really willing to give him up just because this might be a little soon?"

She grasped Glinda's hand tightly. "I don't want to give him up, no."

"Then marry him. He will take good care of you. Look, Elphie, you might never get this chance again. Not that no one else would be interested, but none of them will ever be like him. I've seen the two of you together. Something like that doesn't come around often if it comes around at all."

"I need to think."

And for once, Glinda actually obeyed her request for silence.

If she didn't marry him, what would she do? Quit school and join The Resistance? But Fiyero was meant to be a king. He might be able to change things. But was that a good reason to marry? Well, she cared about him. That much she knew. Love? Love would come in time, assuming it hadn't already. She wasn't sure if it had, or if she could even love anyone at all. If she couldn't, then at least she cared deeply for him. That should be enough.

When they arrived back at Shiz, Fiyero was waiting on a bench. He wrapped her in his arms the moment she stepped out of the carriage and buried his face in her hair. "You came back. Thank Oz." He took a step back from her. "So?"

"This is the biggest decision I will ever make," she said.

"No it's not. That decision was when you came back."

Elphaba looked at him. "How in Oz do you know I thought about running?"

"I knew it! But you're here, Elphaba, that's what matters. We can be together."

"Are you assuming I'll marry you?" She demanded.

"I just figured, it goes with what that woman said that if you came back…"

"I can still run." Elphaba wouldn't, though. And he knew it just as well as she did. "And stop talking about that stupid prediction!"

"I'm sorry. I worried… And I missed you."

"I missed you, too," she told him. She was vaguely aware that Glinda was watching and listening to their every word.

"Not the way I missed you. You thought about leaving me, Elphaba."

"Don't put it that way. Fiyero, I thought about running. Leaving you was only a part of that. And that part made me come back."

He took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter now. You're here. I'm here." Fiyero pulled the ring out of his pocket again. "So will you marry me or not?"

She looked at her roommate one more time. Glinda was nodding feverishly at her, tears in her eyes. Elphaba smiled softly at her before turning back to Fiyero. "Yes."


	7. Chapter 7: Complications

**AN: So... if you read the original story, you're going to realize pretty quickly here that I changed the entire aspect of their wedding night sort of. The thing I had happen here still has the same concept in verifying her purity or whatever, but it's not QUITE so humiliating. It's still pretty humiliating. Next chapter is their wedding and so forth. I might post that later this weekend. I might not. I haven't been writing and, even though I'm ahead, I don't want to catch up to myself. I've been too busy to write. That should rectify itself in the coming weeks, but I don't want to catch up to myself in the meantime. Anyway, I'm babbling.**

**CHAPTER SEVEN: COMPLICATIONS**

Fiyero put down the letter from his parents. They just weren't going to make this easy on him, were they? He kicked his bed, frustrated.

At that moment, there was a knock on his door. He checked the time. Elphaba had said she'd come by. Well, he supposed he needed to speak with her about this, anyway.

She sauntered into the room and put herself on the bed. Elphaba could never know how crazy it drove him when she did that. Just the thought of her in his bed… But he certainly couldn't do that now. "Two weeks until the winter holidays…" She looked uneasy.

He sat beside her. "I can't wait to marry you."

"There are some things I can't wait for, either," she whispered in his ear.

Fiyero swallowed hard. She was irresistible. He was grateful it was a temptation he'd only have to resist for another two weeks. And he had to tell her… "We should talk about that."

"What's there to talk about?"

"I've told you before that things are different in the Vinkus, and you read that book."

"Is this about the sheets again? I don't like it, but I'll live with it."

"It's sort of about that." He paused. "There's more to it than that. My parents want confirmation, proof that you're pure…"

"Are you serious? Won't the blood on the sheets be proof enough?"

He winced. He didn't like thinking about her bleeding. Fiyero realized it was a natural part of such a thing, but he couldn't imagine hurting her. "People have gotten creative over the years, snuck blood into the bedroom to pour on the sheets after coupling."

"That's insane."

"That's the truth. They want a midwife to look at you. And they want to be there when she does it."

Elphaba leapt off the bed, tearing away from him. "No."

"We don't have a choice."

She went to the window and stood there quietly. Fiyero didn't know what to say to her. Elphaba clenched her fists. "Do you know how degrading that it is?" She asked after a moment.

"I can imagine."

"I can't…" She looked at him, shaking her head.

"Are you saying you won't marry me, after all of this?" He hadn't even considered that she wouldn't. But now...

Elphaba froze.

"I'm sorry. I wish it didn't have to be this way. But please don't punish me for what my parents are doing."

"No," she said finally. "I won't do that to you. I'll marry you, Fiyero, but this ridiculous little practice has to be stopped. The moment you're king. I cannot live in a society where women are treated like this."

"I will change everything I can. I swear to you."

"And one more thing… will you be there, too?"

That was something he had never expected. She had just said how degrading it was. Why would she want him to watch? "You _want_ me in that room when the midwife looks at you?"

"Fiyero, you've already touched me. You've seen plenty…" She flushed. "If a stranger is going to be prodding around in there, and your parents, who are complete strangers to me, are going to be there, too, then I want you in that room."

"You're not trying to prove anything to me, are you? Elphaba, I know you've never…"

"If you didn't trust me, Fiyero, I wouldn't marry you. I know you know. I've never had any desire to do anything, at least not until I met you. But I want you there. Maybe you can keep the awkwardness of all of this to a minimum."

"You don't think I'll make it more awkward?"

She laughed. "Maybe." Elphaba finally sat beside him. "Are you allowed to be there?"

"Yes. I can ask to be there, whether or not you wanted me to. But I wasn't going to, because that is your decision, not mine. But if you are certain you want me there, I will."

"I am." Elphaba fell back on the bed. "I'm not going to enjoy this whole thing, the wedding, any of it."

"Not even the wedding night?"

"You are aware that no matter how much I want it, it's going to hurt, right?" She gave him a harsh look.

He laid back on the bed beside her and touched her neck softly. "I'll be as gentle as I can be, my love."

"Don't be," she replied, not looking at him. "They want the blood, they'll get it."

"I can't hurt you, Elphaba."

"I've heard it isn't so bad. It's like getting a shot of milkweed. At least that's what the books say. After a few minutes, the pain is supposed to dull."

He pressed his lips into her neck. "And then it feels good?"

"I certainly hope so," she whimpered, tossing her head back as he scraped his teeth along the artery on her neck, something he had discovered she liked. "If it's anything like, well, what we've done until this point, then it should feel just fine."

"I'll do the best I can," he kissed her mouth.

"I think you need to stop now," she pulled away. "Please. Or your parents will end up very disappointed when the midwife examines me…"

He grinned at her, but stopped. "There's more than that."

She sat up and glared at him. "What would that be?"

"Nothing as bad as that, I promise. After the wedding, we will be separated. You'll be with my mother and a few of the other women. They will dress you. I will be in the bedroom with my father and uncles. Once they send you in, everyone will leave the bedroom. We'll be alone. Once everything is over, though, we will be separated again and bathed."

"Fiyero… water…"

"I know. They'll use oil."

"They'll display the sheets and then leave us both alone."

"We don't even get to just lie there for a little bit? How do they know when we're, um, done?" Elphaba bit her lip.

"They'll give us a few hours. If we haven't left the bedroom, a servant will come in. It's probably better if we just let them know when it's over so we can be left in peace sooner."

She nodded. "I really think this whole tradition is stupid."

"I do, too. But the groom's parents are in charge until the next morning. Then our marriage is up to us. No one can tell us what to do from then on."

"Where will we live? I mean, we're coming back here…"

"There are apartments across campus. For older students and teachers. It's already been arranged."

"Glinda will be lonely." Elphaba sounded almost regretful.

"You'll miss her, won't you?"

"I'll still see her plenty, in classes and she can come over and I can go there." He knew Elphaba was simply avoiding the question so she wouldn't have to admit that, yes, she would miss her roommate dearly. "It will be a relief not to hear her babble so much."

He laughed. "I'll keep you plenty occupied."

"Mmm, I expect you will. But you will not keep me from studying." She looked at him pointedly. "We're going to get married in two weeks…" He couldn't tell if it was excitement or fear in her voice.

And two weeks later, they stood in the doorway of the castle, waiting for his parents. Elphaba had taken his hand and was squeezing it tightly. Nessa, Nanny, Frex and Glinda were to be there the next morning, just in time for the wedding to take place in the evening.

As his parents approached, he felt Elphaba drop his hand. And then she curtseyed, something he had never seen her do before. He was surprised she even know how.

"Miss Elphaba?" His father stood there, looking her up and down.

"Yes, Sir," Elphaba said quietly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir."

He'd also never heard her use the word "sir" for anyone other than a professor, and even then it was only used on rare occasions. "Father, Mother, this is the love of my life."

He saw Elphaba's cheeks grow dark. She blinked quickly. "It is an honor to marry your son."

Elphaba's voice had a hint of sarcasm to it, but it was slight only those who knew her well would've detected it. He took her hand again. "May we get settled?"

"Yes. A servant will show you to your rooms. Fiyero, you'll be in your new room. Miss Elphaba, so will you."

Elphaba looked confused and opened her mouth, but thought the better of it.

His new bedroom had a king bed and a connected to Elphaba's by way a of a door that had a lock that could only be opened from his side. He opened it immediately and stepped into her room. It was smaller and had a queen bed. "Elphaba?"

"Why, exactly, do we have two rooms? I mean, I understand we aren't married yet, but it sounded like this is a permanent thing?"

"My parents sleep separately. I suppose they thought we'd do the same." He shrugged. "But we aren't like them."

"No. We are not."

"You were very… polite, by the way."

"I'd rather not upset your parents the day before our wedding, my sweet." She forced a fake smile.

A servant knocked on her door and opened it without being told to. "You are to see the midwife now."

He saw Elphaba's face grow pale. Fiyero took her hand and kissed it softly. "I'll be right there. If that's still what you want?"

She gave a small nod and followed the servant down the hall as he trailed behind her. He actually wasn't sure he wanted to be in the room, but if it comforted her, he would do it.

His parents were already seated and the midwife stood beside a raised bed. Elphaba struggled in the doorway, looking at it apprehensively. Fiyero nudged her gently.

She stumbled into the room and looked at the midwife. He could tell she was avoiding acknowledging his parents' presence. Fiyero kissed her cheek and sat beside them, also not speaking to them.

"Remove your skirt and everything under it." The midwife was older than his mother, but not by much. He didn't think he'd ever seen her before.

Elphaba did as she was told silently and sat on the bed. She looked at him and he saw more fear in her eyes than he ever had seen in her before. He hated that he was putting her through this. For a moment, he wanted to call it all off, just to spare her this indecency. He dug his nails into the leather on the chair.

The midwife pushed Elphaba's legs open as she laid back on the table. He could no longer see her eyes and he turned away. Fiyero heard a small hiss from Elphaba and willed himself not to look up. But he had to. Her knuckles were clenching the bed as the midwife examined her. He looked to his lap again.

A moment later, the midwife turned to his parents. "Her virginity is intact."

"I told you it was," Fiyero muttered.

Elphaba pulled her clothes on and sat up, not looking at him.

His parents simply nodded and left the room. The midwife followed.

"That was by far the most humiliating moment of my life, Fiyero." Elphaba was shaking.

He went to her and kissed her forehead. "I hate my parents for this. I'm sorry. If it weren't for me…"

"Oh, don't you do that. Just because I'm marrying you does not make this your fault." Elphaba stood. "But you have to do what you promised. This has to end."

"It will."


	8. Chapter 8: A Wedding

**AN: Again, another chapter that should probably be rated M.**

**Chapter Eight: A Wedding**

Elphaba sat alone in her bedroom. She had needed the time away from everyone else. After the awful insult she'd just endured, she deserved some peace.

But it wasn't meant to be. Fiyero's mother entered the room without knocking moments later. Maybe it was better if Elphaba didn't have too much time to think. She might back out of this whole thing if she thought too much. His mother sat down and looked at her. "I wanted to speak to you. This is a little… unheard of. For me to speak with you without my husband present, or at least his permission."

"I don't mind that," Elphaba said. She thought it was silly that the woman needed her husband's permission in the first place.

"Would you tell me about yourself? I know almost nothing about you and you are to marry my son tomorrow."

"I am from Munchkinland. I grew up, though, wandering Quadling country. My father was a preacher. I am studying sciences."

"And you intend to continue?" The woman seemed surprised.

"Of course. What am I supposed to do? Sit around all day and wait for Fiyero to come have his way with me?" She met Fiyero's mother's eyes and saw the woman didn't realize she was joking. "Seriously?"

"That's how it works. At least for royal women around here. The village women have to clean, cook and care for the children as well."

"I'm not that type of girl," Elphaba said defensively. "And I don't think Fiyero is that type of man."

"You're forgetting where he was raised, Miss Elphaba."

"That doesn't seem to have affected him."

"I'm just telling you that perhaps you should think twice before you do this. Life out here is not a picnic. Imagine how you'll feel when you catch him with a servant girl. Or when he doesn't care about whether you like the things he does to you or not."

"I just said _Fiyero is not like that_. I don't know if you've been paying attention to your son at all, but he is no misogynist." She swallowed hard.

"You're right. I barely got to raise him at all, you know. So how would I know? They took him from me the moment he was born and he was raised by nannies and schoolmarms and trainers."

Elphaba bit her lip. She knew she would have to have children. It wasn't something she was exactly excited about, but she could live with it. But the idea of not having any say in how her child would be raised? "Fiyero would not allow that." Was the woman here just to scare her?

As if she sensed what Elphaba was thinking, Fiyero's mother said, "I'm saying this for your own good. You seem like a nice, intelligent girl. But you do not belong here. You will not last. No matter how strong you think you are, they will break you."

"They?"

"These people, these customs, and yes, Fiyero."

Elphaba shook her head. "Things are going to change. They have already been changing everywhere else. And now they will change here. Women are not just baby-making machines for men to use and throw away."

His mother shrugged and left the room.

Elphaba got up and threw the door to Fiyero's room open. He had left it unlocked, as she'd asked. "You didn't tell me everything."

He looked up from the book he'd been reading. "Elphaba, I thought you wanted to be alone for the rest of the night…"

"Your mother disagreed with that."

"My mother?" Fiyero got up from his bed. "What did she say?"

"Do they really take your children away when they're born? Is it really normal for a man to cheat on his wife? And is he _really_ allowed to use her in whatever way he pleases no matter how she feels about it?"

"Calm down," he said slowly. "Yes, yes and yes. But not us. I told you, not us. They took me away from my mother early so that I could be educated and trained without distraction. That was my father's decree. It will _not _be mine. And if you think that I would want anyone but you, you clearly don't realize how much I love you. Elphaba, how many times have I promised not to hurt you?"

She walked towards him, stopping only when she pressed her head against his chest softly. "Maybe this was a bad idea."

"Fae…"

Elphaba cocked her head at him.

"We're to be married. I thought I should be able to call you something different, something for just me. And you can do the same if you want. But please don't say this is a bad idea. I know it seems scary, but this is not the reason not to marry me. If you don't love me, if you don't want to be with me, then go ahead and leave. But because of this culture? My mother? I beg you, don't let that push you away."

She smiled into his eyes. "I do want to be with you."

"Then we'll be married. Tomorrow. And it will be perfect."

And so they were wed. Elphaba would not back out. They would prove everyone wrong. She would prove to family that someone _could_ love her despite her skin. And they would prove to his family that despite their ridiculous traditions, they could live happily and faithfully. Perhaps it was only pride that got her through it, but it was enough.

While some priest chanted things in a language she could not understand, Fiyero smiled at her, mouthing, "I love you." She did not smile back. This dress was stifling. And it was _white_. She hadn't even put up a fight about the color, though. There would've been no point. And looking at Fiyero, he seemed to like the way it looked on her. Or maybe he was just thinking about what was to happen when this was over with.

Glinda was crying in the audience. Elphaba was beginning to get irritated with the sniffling and tapped her foot impatiently. Her legs hurt. Did she have to stand this whole time? No wonder they had started the ceremony before sundown! It was taking forever.

When it finally ended, she was brought back to her room, where Fiyero's mother and one of his aunts sat on her bed. She didn't look Fiyero's mother in the eyes. Instead, she looked at the lace nightdress that had been laid out on the bed. It was sheer and short and had only three small buttons in the front. No one had told her she'd be expected to put this on.

Fiyero's aunt stood. "I'll help you." The woman unhooked the back of Elphaba's dress and untied it gently. She whispered to her. "Don't worry. It will be fine."

Elphaba gave the woman a grateful look. At least someone was trying to be kind to her here. She stepped out of the dress and put the nightdress on carefully.

"Are you ready?" Fiyero's mother asked.

She nodded.

The woman knocked three times on Fiyero's side of the door. Elphaba heard some chattering, and then it faded. She supposed that Fiyero's father and uncles had been in there with him and were leaving. Fiyero opened the door and looked at her as she shut the door to her room. "You look…"

"Absurd?"

"That is not the word I'd use," he said, staring at her. "I have been waiting for this. For a long time."

"I believe you told me you had dreams about me. Did they involve me wearing this?" She laughed.

"They involved you wearing absolutely nothing, actually." Fiyero began to unbutton her nightdress. He was wearing only a pair of silken shorts.

"I'd rather be wearing nothing than this thing."

"If it would just come off…" He was struggling with the second button. When it wouldn't come undone, he yanked at it and the entire nightdress ripped down the middle.

"Well, that's one way to do it. Now I'll never have to wear it again, so thank you." Elphaba settled herself on the bed and looked at him, waiting for him to join her.

He did and kissed her hard. It wasn't gentle, like the kiss earlier at their wedding; this kiss was demanding and rough. Fiyero nipped at her lips and she gasped, her hands dragging down his chest. This she had been waiting for, too.

His tongue pressed into her mouth, his hands grabbed her breasts. Eagerly, she pulled his shorts off. He touched his lips to her neck again, and she turned to give him better access, his kisses were so intense they almost drew blood. She moaned softly. Then she looked down at him for the first time. "Oh, sweet Oz, this is going to hurt. This is really going to hurt."

"No," he grabbed her hands. "If you think like that, it will. I promise to be careful. But we are not there yet, Fae. I have a lot of exploring to do before we get there."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "Oh?"

He ran his hands along her sides from her neck to her ankles. "I want to touch and kiss every last inch of you. You are my wife. And I want to know every part of you." Fiyero lowered his mouth to her breasts and she forgot the fear she felt. He sucked gently until the tips of her breasts became hard points in his mouth, then he flicked them with his tongue and she whimpered softly. A smile came across his face as he kissed slowly downwards, kissing her ribs, each of them. Kissing her belly button, her abdomen. Her hips raised towards him without her even thinking about it, legs opening further.

His mouth was so warm on her, teasing the moist skin between her legs, his tongue caressing the soft folds, slowly at first, then quickening with her breath. A sweet pleasure built within her, growing with each kiss, each greedy suck and lick. She ran her hands through his hair as his hands traveled her body. Fiyero placed kisses on each of her thighs, and continued downwards until he reached her toes. He kissed each of them, too.

Fiyero intertwined their hands as he climbed above her. "Are you ready?"

She looked up at him, her breath still caught in her throat, and nodded hungrily. Maybe it would hurt. But her body begged for him, wanted him, longed for him.

Elphaba yelped as he pressed inside her, and she felt him stiffen at the noise. Fiyero buried his face in her neck. "I don't want to hurt you."

"It was going to happen sooner or later, Fiyero," she mumbled. "At least that was it. Keep going, my sweet. Do it," she pleaded. "Please."

And he did. There was a tenderness between her legs, but also a thrill. She lifted her hips up, curious, meeting his next thrust. Her eyes widened at the feeling, a soft purr escaping from her mouth. He plunged even deeper; she could feel him in her core. That feeling she'd had before returned, silencing whatever pain she'd been feeling. Fiyero moved faster as she drew her nails down his back. She cried out.

He drove himself into her over and over as she pulled his hips down onto her. He kept probing further, eliciting noises from her she never knew she could make. As she felt him sinking every hard inch into her depths, the ecstasy shot through her, every part of her climaxed, her toes flexed, her fists clenched, her breathing became ragged and her cries reached a peak. And when she thought it was over, he just continued to delve into her until she cried out again and again and again, losing count of the times, her voice becoming hoarse, her body tingling and sizzling with delight.

She wasn't sure how much time had gone by when he pushed into her roughly a few more times and collapsed beside her. She felt fluid pooling between her legs. After he caught his breath, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Fae."

She still said nothing back.


	9. Chapter 9: A Time For Change

**Chapter 9: A Time For Change**

As the sweat began to dry, Fiyero began to climb out of the bed. When Elphaba looked at him questioningly he said, "They need to display the sheets before morning. And it's been three hours since you came in here."

"Three hours?" Elphaba murmured, still not rising. "I lost track."

"You need to get up," he said.

"Three hours would explain why my legs feel like jelly and I don't know if I can walk." She writhed in the bed. "Do I really have to?"

"I'm afraid so. I can pick you up if you like."

"I'm not a damsel in distress." She sat up, wincing. "Whoa, I'm sore."

"I can kiss it and make it better," he teased. "In a few minutes."

"I don't even know if I can handle that." Elphaba got out of the bed gingerly. She wrapped the blankets around herself as he went to the door.

A servant had apparently been standing by the door the entire time, waiting for this very moment. He wondered if she'd heard Elphaba's cries. They'd delighted his ears to hear. He didn't like the idea that anyone else had gotten to hear them. The woman didn't say anything as she came in and changed the sheets quickly. She bowed to both of them on her way out. He could tell Elphaba didn't want to look at the sheets, but he caught a glimpse of the stain as the woman walked out of the room. They stood there for a moment until there was a loud cheer from outside.

"What was that?"

"The more blood there is, the louder they cheer. It implies, well, certain things about a man's body. And, Fae," he pulled her to him, "there was quite a bit. Please tell me I didn't hurt you."

She stepped away from him. "You did. But Fiyero, that pain didn't last very long." Elphaba began to head towards her room. "They're going to bathe us now, right?"

He nodded. Though he knew he had to let her go, he had wanted to hold her just a few minutes more.

She stepped into her room, where he could see his mother and aunt waiting for her along with several servants and some bottles of oil. He pulled his shorts back on, though he wasn't sure why. He was just going to undress again.

His father entered the room then, along with his uncles and several servants, one of whom was carrying a tray with champagne. "Congratulations, Son!"

Fiyero didn't want to be sitting here with them. He felt he belonged with her. When his father offered him a glass, he declined. "I'd rather just get cleaned up."

"I'm sure there's quite a bit for you to clean," his father sneered. "We could hear her from the hall. And the blood! Fiyero, you should've seen it. I've never heard them cheer so loud."

Fiyero's face reddened and he clenched his fists. He did not want to hear this. He tuned them out as the servants scrubbed him and gave him a new pair of shorts. "I'd like to be left alone," he said dismissively.

His father grinned at him, eyeing Elphaba's torn nightgown on the floor as he left, "Hoping to get her in here for another go?"

Fiyero didn't respond. Instead, he headed towards the door, which one of the servants had locked again. He was going to need to do something about that.

Elphaba sat on her bed, looking small. She wore a much more… wholesome nightgown. There was no one else with her. "Am I really not supposed to even knock unless you ask for me?"

"Who told you that? My mother?" He pulled her up and into his room slowly. "You will stay in here, with me, at all times. That room doesn't exist. I'll have the door sealed and they can make it into a nursery or something. This is _our_ room."

She smiled at him. "Good."

"Did she say anything else to you?" He was suddenly very unhappy with his mother. She'd had the gall to scare Elphaba both before and after the wedding. Or at least try to scare her.

"Well, there was a comment about the fact that I wasn't, um, quite walking straight as they led me towards my bed…"

"I really hurt you, didn't I?"

"I already told you, Fiyero. It was just a moment. And then… if it did still hurt, it was incredibly hard to notice given everything else that was going on inside me. Please, tell me you didn't think the noises I was making meant I was in pain, because then we might need to check your hearing."

"Yeah, apparently they heard you from down the hall…" He tried not to smirk at that.

Her face darkened to a crimson. "I'm going to keep my mouth shut from now on."

"Oh, please don't. I'm pretty sure those were the best sounds I ever heard." He sat her down on the bed and sat beside her.

"Maybe when people aren't down the hall," she laid back on the bed again. "Fiyero, this has been the longest few days of my life."

"Do you regret it?"

"No. I don't. Not at all. It was worth it. Very, very worth it. But I am exhausted. Can we please sleep now?"

He hadn't realized how tired he was until she'd said something. Fiyero lay down in the bed beside her. This was the first time he'd share a bed with her. "You know, I've been waiting forever to get you in my bed."

She laughed as she rested her cheek on his shoulder. "Well, you got me. And I guess you're stuck with me," she teased.

"And I never want to get rid of you. I love you." Fiyero closed his eyes and drifted off.

She wasn't in the bed when he woke up. Elphaba was sitting in the window seat on the other side of the room, staring out at the village quietly.

"Fae?"

She jumped at the sound of his voice. "I didn't know you were up."

He sat up and looked around the room. "What time is it?"

"Almost afternoon, my darling. I've been up for almost two hours now." Elphaba continued to look through the window. "So this is it… Your village. Your kingdom."

"Ours," he corrected.

"I have no power without you," she answered.

"I suppose not. I'll change that. The queen deserves just as much power as the king has. And you are already the most beautiful queen in existence."

"Stop flattering me," she shook her head at him. "You know I don't like that."

"I apologize, my love." His stomach grumbled. "I'm starving."

"I can tell," she laughed. "Where's the kitchen? I'll make something…" She trailed off and stood up. "Oh, wait. That's not how it works around here, is it?"

He shook his head. "You're going to have trouble getting used to this, aren't you?"

They spent the next weeks consumed with one another.

He had her pressed against the wall, her legs wrapped around his waist. Her head was thrown back, her eyes shut. "Oh, Yero…" She was panting and he had her arms pinned above her head with one of his, the other holding her close. "That was…"

"Was? Who says we're finished?" He laughed. That was when he heard the door creak. Fiyero turned towards the door just in time to see it shut.

"Why'd you stop?" She looked at him with that sweet, hazy look that he adored, the look he knew no one else would ever see. "I guess I am finished," he grumbled, stepping back and putting her on the bed. "Stay here."

He knew exactly what had just happened. His parents had interrupted them before once while they were involved, sending a servant for him and then conveniently "forgetting" why. This time, however, they must have just sent someone to accidentally walk in. And he thought he knew why. "What, exactly, is the issue you have with my wife?" He demanded, striding into the living room where his father sat with his mother, no doubt having just discussed his marriage.

His father sighed and stood up. "I told you before that it might not be the best idea to marry a woman who isn't one of us. And you failed to mention just how different she is, Son."

Fiyero's face reddened. "Are you talking about her skin? Because…"

"That's not it. Yes, it's a little jarring and I don't understand the attraction, but I'm talking about her attitude, Fiyero."

"Elphaba has been nothing but polite since she met you!" But he knew it went deeper than that.

"She's also made it very clear what she thinks of our customs. I understand she's good at sorcery, but no one is good enough to cast that sort of spell! What could have possibly made you love a woman like that?"

Maybe Elphaba had made a few subtle comments when they all sat down for dinner nightly, but nothing outright disrespectful. "Because I agree with her! Father, women are not slaves and they are _not_ inferior beings." Perhaps he imagined it, but he could've sworn a smile twitched at the corners of his mother's mouth. "For Oz's sake, she's more intelligent and capable than I am, probably."

"And you should never let her know that!" The horror on his face was almost laughable.

"Oh, she knows it, Father. And not just because I've told her as much."

"What is wrong with you? How is it that you are my son? If your nanny weren't dead, I'd have her executed because clearly something was wrong with your upbringing! Do you expect for our people to respect you when you become a king, a man who regards his wife as better than he?"

"Things are going to change around here when I become king," Fiyero said softly. "The rest of Oz thinks we are stupid, reckless barbarians and since I've been at school I've finally understood why. Do you know that it's _normal_ for common folk to go to University? And yet I'm the first not only in our family but in our tribe! You gripe about the rest of Oz not respecting us without doing anything to remedy that. You've barely been out of the Vinkus other than for meetings in the City and you don't even spend the day there. Maybe you don't see it, but I do. I'm going to fix this place, this village, this tribe, the Vinkus as a whole!"

"People will never listen to you. You may become king, but our people do not like change, my son. Our customs have done us good for many years. There is no need to change what already works."

"There is if you find something that works better!" Fiyero retorted, storming out of the room. No one came after him.

Elphaba, though, had been waiting for him in their room. "Do you want to explain to me what that was about, Fiyero?"

"A clash of ideals." He wasn't sure he wanted to go into detail at the moment. He was too frustrated to relive that.

But Elphaba knew. She always did. "It's me, isn't it?"

"Not exactly," he said evasively, but she gave him a look. "That is how it started," he admitted. "But I don't think my father was quite prepared to realize that I'm not like him." He repeated the conversation to her.

"Your father has one point," she said. "People in general are not fond of change, and that would be a _big_ change."

"I'm not just going to decree that women need to be treated equally. How would I enforce that? I plan to make small changes at first. And to lead by example, by the way I treat you and everyone else."

She smiled. "You are perfect."


	10. Chapter 10: Love

**AN: I'm so sorry this took so long. Not only have I been doing one community theater show and working overtime, I also thought it was a great idea to try out for yet ANOTHER show. Good news, though, I'm back down to doing just one show and my boss finally hired another person. So... maybe I'll have writing time again!**

**Chapter Ten: Love**

As much as she enjoyed what she supposed was their honeymoon, she was eager to get back to school. She did not enjoy feeling idle, which is how she felt laying around doing nothing. And she was missing the likeminded beliefs of the other students at Shiz, even if many of them thought she was a freak. Elphaba set out to find Glinda almost the moment she returned, having missed intelligent conversation with anyone other than Fiyero.

Glinda pulled her into a tight hug the moment she opened the door. "Elphie! The wedding was beautiful!" She stepped back, raising her eyebrows at her former roommate. "How is married life?"

"It's interesting," Elphaba could think of no better way to describe it.

"And how was your _wedding night_?"

"None of your business." Elphaba strode into the room. Nanny and Nessa were now moved in, it appeared, though they were not there at the moment. She looked at the bed that was once hers, thinking of the time she'd spent sitting there reading, alone and at peace.

"Elphie, please!" Well, maybe not so much alone. Or at peace. Glinda had never been one for silence. "I'm just curious. It sounds so scary!"

"It's not scary, Glinda. That's all I'll say." Elphaba shrugged. She didn't want to share these sorts of things with anyone else. Besides, the entire day had been thick with tension thanks to his family, even if Glinda hadn't been able to feel it during the ceremony.

"Are you happy?"

"Sure, why not?" She didn't honestly feel much different. Outside of the fact that her living situation was now different, her life was pretty much the same.

Glinda sighed dramatically. "Oh, Elphie, when did you know?"

"Know what?"

"_Know_," Glinda repeated.

"What?"

"Know that Fiyero was the one. That you loved him."

That she loved him? Swallowing hard she said, "I don't think it's something that you just know. It takes time."

"Then when were you sure enough to say it?"

Elphaba blinked slowly. It occurred to her, then, that she still hadn't told him she loved him. She had married him, slept with him, and those words had left to leave her lips. "I… I never did."

Glinda looked lost. "You married him, Elphie! Of course you've said it."

"No, no I haven't," the words came out slowly. "But I thought I could…" Elphaba went to the door. "I have to go."

She didn't hear what Glinda called after her as she strode intently towards the apartment she now shared with Fiyero. He seemed confused when she threw her arms around him. "Fae?"

"Fiyero, I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I love you," she repeated, pressing her face against the soft cotton of his shirt.

"I got that."

"It's just… I realize now that… I never said it before."

At that, she felt him stiffen. "No, no you haven't. Why, exactly, haven't you?"

"I don't know. I forgot."

He wasn't buying it, clearly. "Really, Elphaba?"

"I didn't forget, exactly," she said hesitantly, "I just wasn't sure."

"You weren't _sure_?" He looked at her incredulously. "You married me, Elphaba, and you weren't sure?" Fiyero took a step away from her.

"I'm sure now," she insisted.

"I should've noticed," he wasn't talking to her. He wasn't even looking at her. "How could I not have noticed? I was so certain and you were just silent." He finally looked at her again. "Why in Oz did you marry me if you weren't even certain that you loved me?"

"I… I didn't know if I could love anyone. But I knew if I could, Fiyero, it would be you." She stepped towards him, not knowing how to comfort him. Part of her was almost angry at him for being angry at her. It wasn't as if she'd had a choice to wait until she knew if she loved him for sure! It had been now or never.

He shook his head at her. "I don't think I can be in here right now. I'm going to go take a walk." Fiyero brought nothing but his key with him, shutting the door behind him before she could even put words together.

Elphaba went into their bedroom. She knew going after him wouldn't be the best idea, and she wasn't certain that she wanted to go after him, anyway. The emotional whirlwind she felt was exhausting. She fell asleep, tossing and turning as she struggled to block out the mess that was going on inside her head.

When she woke, it was raining fiercely, complete with lightning and thunder. Fiyero had not returned. She hoped he was inside somewhere. Elphaba paced the apartment, walking from room to room (there were only three of them, so it wasn't much of a walk) until Fiyero burst in over an hour later. He was soaked and shaking. "Sweet Oz, Fiyero, you'll catch your death!" Elphaba ran into the bedroom, grabbed a towel from the closet and threw it at him. "Why didn't you stay inside wherever you were and wait out the storm?"

"Because I wasn't anywhere. I was in the storm."

"Are you crazy? You stood outside in that without even a coat for over an hour! Why didn't you go into a store, a restaurant?"

"I had no money with me. They kick you out if you don't buy anything, Fae. That's how they handle the homeless population." He began to peel his clothes off and headed into the bedroom for some dry ones, shaking his hair out.

"I understand you were angry, but did you have to be so careless?" She followed after him.

"I wasn't thinking. I just knew I couldn't stay here… with you. And you would've fared much worse outside than I would've."

She pretended that didn't hurt her. "We have more than one room."

"I needed more distance." He pulled on another pair of trousers.

"And do you still need it?"

He turned to her, the diamonds on his chest still sparkling with moisture. "I don't know."

"Fiyero, please, you have to understand. The situation gave me no choice. If I hadn't married you, we could never have been together. You know that better than anyone. And so I took a chance. I care about you and I did then, even if I was still trying to sort out the depth of my feelings. But I've never loved anyone. No one in my life has ever loved me. I wasn't even sure exactly what love is. But I knew I wanted to be with you. That had to be enough."

He bit his lip. "Why couldn't you just tell me that instead of sneaking around the words? The more I thought about it the more I realize how many chances I gave you to say them. And somehow you managed to talk your way out of it every time."

"How would you have reacted? If, when you told me that you loved me, I replied, 'that's nice and all, but I'm not sure if I feel the same,' I'm fairly certain you wouldn't have handled it well."

"And I'm handling it well now?"

"I like the think that you're handling it better than you would have had I still not been certain. I love you, Fiyero, and I'm sorry. Would you rather I not have married you?"

"Never." He took her hand. "I am the happiest man in Oz with you for my wife. It just hurts to know that while I was so in love with you, knew I wanted to be with you forever and yet you… you didn't feel that."

"I did. I knew I wanted to be with you. Fiyero, I barely understood what love _is_. I only read about it in books. I don't think I've ever seen it. And I'd certainly never felt it, not until you. Just because I hadn't given those feelings a name yet doesn't mean that's not exactly what I was feeling."

"I guess I can accept that." Fiyero threw himself on their bed.

Elphaba joined him, noting that his chest was still bare. She took advantage of that and kissed the remaining drops of water off of his body as she said, "That's good enough." As she reached his abdomen, she slowly unbuttoned his pants. "Let me finish drying you off."

Fiyero's eyes widened and he finished undressing eagerly. "If you're trying to distract me from the issue at hand, it's working."

"I can tell," she murmured. "And I thought we had finished that conversation. I'd be happy to stop if you have more to say."

"No, no, I think you're right. We are most definitely done talking."

Elphaba grinned and licked her lips.

The next morning, she woke to him shivering in the bed. When she reached to wake him, he was hot to the touch and he could barely open his eyes. "Fae?" His voice was hoarse, his lips cracked and dry.

"I told you it was a bad idea to go out in the rain like that," she muttered, climbing out of the bed. "Let me make you some hot oatmeal. That will soothe your throat. I'll make you soup later, too."

"Classes start again today."

"Not for you."

"But what about you? You've never missed a day."

"Not for me, either. I'm going to go make you something. The only class I have today is sorcery, and Glinda will take good notes for me. I know you were supposed to be in economics class this morning. I think Boq is in it. His handwriting is atrocious, but I'm sure he can relay his notes to you another time."

"I love you."

"I love you, too. Now hush and rest." Elphaba walked into the kitchen. She didn't know where much was, since most of it had been moved there while they were in the Vinkus. After a few minutes, she found what she needed and heated some oatmeal for him on the stove. When she re-entered the bedroom, she found that he'd fallen back to sleep and was snoring loudly. "Oh, lovely." She put down the bowl on the bedside table and shook him roughly. "Yero."

He groaned but sat up. "I just want to sleep, Fae."

"You need to eat or you will never get better." She shoved the bowl into his hands. "Then you can go back to sleep."

"We've been married only a few weeks and you've already turned into my mother," he grumbled, spooning some of the oatmeal into his mouth.

She smacked him playfully. "Never. Your mother lets your father treat her like a slave. And no matter what I do for you, that will never happen."

"You are kind of taking care of me."

"Only because you're sick and can't do it yourself. I hope you would do the same for me."

"I don't think I recall you ever getting sick in all the time that I've known you, not even a cold."

"I don't get colds. When I get sick, Fiyero, I get very sick. I've only been ill once or twice before, back in Munchkinland. I could barely move. I don't like feeling that helpless. And I don't usually do anything stupid, like run around in the rain for over an hour. Not that I could."

He finished the oatmeal and put the bowl on the bedside table. "You can go to class if you want, Fae. I'm just going to sleep."

She didn't respond to him and merely took the bowl into the kitchen and put it in the sink. Elphaba wasn't going anywhere.


	11. Chapter 11: Family

**Chapter 11: Family**

Fiyero enjoyed married life, probably more than Elphaba did. He got to see different sides of her, like the maternal side of her that had shown through when he'd been ill. And he got to spend every moment with her outside of classes. Although he wasn't so sure she was exactly pleased with that.

He sat beside her and pressed his lips against her neck.

"I'm studying, Fiyero." She waved him away.

"Then keep studying." He wrapped her in his arms, pulling her close.

She pushed him then. "I will. But you need to leave me be."

"We can sit like this," he insisted.

"No, we can't." She scooted away from him. "You are distracting me. Just because we live together does _not_ mean that you need to be with me all of the time. I am trying to read, Fiyero."

He got up. "If you don't want to spend any time with me, that's fine."

"Don't try the guilt with me." She didn't even look up from her book.

He skulked out of the room.

One thing neither of them enjoyed about married life was the holidays, during which they had to stay with one of their families.

"Did you have to do that?" Elphaba sat in her nightdress on the bed.

"I didn't realize the door wasn't shut. And it's not like you were stopping me!"

"You're the one who came in last. _You're _the one who forgot to close the damned door, Fiyero. I can't imagine how that could've been more humiliating."

"It could have been your father instead of Nanny," he muttered.

She smacked him. "Don't say such a thing. I'm sure she'll tell him all about it, anyway. We are never going to live that down."

"We're married. They have to know we…"

"THEY DIDN'T NEED TO SEE IT HAPPENING!" She shouted at him.

"Or hear it," he added under his breath.

She glared at him.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Can we go to sleep now?"

She sighed. "We certainly aren't doing anything else!" Elphaba turned away from him and closed her eyes.

He pulled her close to him by the waist. "Good night, my love."

"You are a pain in my neck, Fiyero. Good night!" But she didn't pull away.

Breakfast the next morning was eaten in strained silence. Well, mostly.

"Can you hand me the milk, Fiyero?"

"Of course, my love." He passed it to her and it slipped out of his hands, spilling all over her. "Oh, sweet Oz, Fae. I'm sorry."

"I'm sure that's not the first thing you spilled on her today." Nanny commented dryly.

"Nanny!" Elphaba cried, burying her face in her hands.

"Quiet down. You are much too loud. 'Oh, Fiyero… oh, please, Fiyero!'" Nanny cackled.

Fiyero put a hand on Elphaba's knee that was quickly shoved away. "This is hardly the time."

"Neither was last night!"

"It's my fault," he said quickly. "I forgot to shut the door completely. Or lock it."

Shell, of course, was oblivious. "What happened last night?"

"Nothing, Son." Frex waved him away. "Go get your sister a towel. Is that hurting your skin, Elphaba?"

"It's only just started to soak through my dress. But it does burn a little. I will probably develop a rash."

"I'm sure Fiyero will enjoy helping you take care of it." Nanny quipped.

"Stop it!" Elphaba jumped up from the table and ran from the room. Shell came back, confused.

FIyero glared at Nanny. "Was that absolutely necessary?"

"Maybe you should have thought of that before you did what you did under her father's roof. Sweet Oz, can't you two keep your hands off each other for a week?"

He bit his lips. No, no they really hadn't. They were newlyweds, after all. And he thought he'd never get enough of her, even years from now. But he was hardly going to tell Nanny that. "I apologize. But leave her alone."

Elphaba was in the room changing when he entered. "I need to take a walk."

"I'll come with you." He followed her out of the room and then out of the house. "Fae, I am sorry."

"I know you are," she said, walking briskly in front of him until they were out of view of the house.

When he felt they were a safe distance away, he grabbed her by the waist and kissed her. "Nanny shouldn't have said that."

"I knew she would. It's not all your fault. What were we thinking? This is my family's house."

"There have been very few nights since we've been married that we haven't…"

"I know, but this should've been an exception."

"The nights before that weren't a problem." He shrugged.

"Never again. Not in that house."

He nodded. But at the same time, he was looking at her wondering how in Oz he was supposed to keep his hands to himself for the next 48 hours. "I suppose that's fine."

She sighed and sat down beside a tree. "Oh, Yero, I feel awful. Nessa didn't say a word during that entire discussion, but she still heard all of it. I couldn't even look at her."

"Like I said last night, she knows we're married, Fae." He sat beside her.

"I get that. But it's a little different when it actually comes up in conversation."

The dress she had changed into wasn't one she usually wore. It looked like she'd pulled it out of her old closet. It was much too small for her, although as far he was concerned it hugged all the right places. He blinked quickly. "That's true." Why was he having these thoughts _now_? The only more inappropriate time would be in class. He touched her cheek with one finger and traced her jaw.

Her face softened. "I just want to go back to Shiz and be alone with you again. I hate these stupid holidays. I don't understand why we have to come back here."

"We're alone now," he said absently.

She turned to him. "What are you saying?"

"Nothing." He flushed and looked down, where his eyes caught the curve of her dress, the bare skin of her legs. "I just… well, we didn't really finish last night and…" Fiyero couldn't help himself. He kissed her hard on the mouth.

Her hands clutched at him for just a moment before she tore away. "Outside? Now? You have got to be kidding me."

"No one is watching us. I can promise to make it short and sweet."

"It's never quick." She rolled her eyes.

"And you never complain about that," he reached for her again.

She stepped away. "No! I do not feel like making a complete mess of myself. And _not_ here. What is your problem?"

"I just… I can't imagine keeping my hands off of you for that long. I"m sorry."

"If that's all that matters to you, Fiyero, then you damn well should be!" Elphaba stomped back towards the house.

Suddenly he felt stupid. A little late for that, though, he supposed. He trudged back to the house slowly. When he got there, he found the bedroom locked. He went back to the kitchen and asked Frex, "Do you have a key to that room?"

"Why don't you just knock?" Shell asked sweetly.

"I'm not too certain she wants to let me in." He looked at Frex guiltily. "And I can't particularly blame her."

The man sighed and got up. "Let me look." He left the room.

"How'd you manage to get on her bad side so suddenly? I can't imagine she'll be angry for long… I know exactly how you can fix that." Nanny cackled.

"Let it go!" He snapped. Frex came back in holding a key and Fiyero followed him to the bedroom. Frex unlocked the door and left Fiyero there. He opened it slowly. "Fae?"

"So do you want the floor tonight or should I?" She didn't look at him.

"Don't do this," he begged.

"You are behaving ridiculously. I do not feel like sharing a bed with you tonight."

"Please listen to me, Fae…"

"Why?" She began grabbing blankets from the bed.

"I'm sorry. Please. We've been married only a few months. It's new. I got over-excited." He did not reach for her. Fiyero knew better than that.

"I understand that. But lately, Fiyero, that seems like all you want to do. Can't we just talk?"

"Are you saying you don't want to?"

She looked at him and gave him a sad smile. "Not exactly. But it doesn't… consume me like it does you. At least not when we're not… well…"

"I'm sorry."

"We need to communicate better."

"I promise to try if you do."

She stopped putting the blankets on the floor. "I will. I just… you were like a madman back there, Fiyero."

"I am so sorry. I just… the thought of not touching you…"

"If you honestly think I'm fond of the idea, then you don't read me well. But I will not have another embarrassment like that. And this place, it's just filled with negativity for me. It isn't for you. But you need to respect that."

"I will." He picked the blankets up off the floor and put them back on the bed. "It's still morning. Add you didn't finish eating."

"I'm not going back out there if I don't have to," she said.

"I can't blame you. Nanny would not stop with the comments. Has she always been that crass?"

"Oh, you should've heard the things she used to say about my mother! I knew much more than I ever needed to, even at a young age. Especially when Turtle Heart was here and Nessa was born! Young children understand more than you think they do."

He nodded. "I cannot wait to get back to school."

She snorted. "Just imagine, another month and it'll be summer. And then we get to spend time with _your_ family."


End file.
